by Ashley Kondo

The city of Harare is set to regain its Sunshine City status as Government intends to construct state of the art stalling malls for vendors.

Addressing thousands of ZANU PF supporters in Harare South Constituency, Vice President (VP), General (Rtd) Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga said the move would bring about sanity as well as decongest the central Business District, (CBD).

He said, “Tinoda kuita musika yakanaka inenge ichitaridza hutano.”

He castigated the MDC-T led Harare City Council for failing to construct a single vending market.

“Vakatadza kuisa kana musika...ungaende kungava kuEurope, ungaende kungava kumaChina, ungaende kungava kumaBritish kune nzvimbo inonzi uku ukaenda unonowana zvekudya zvose...asi hazvingotengeswa pese pese,” said VP Chiwenga.

His remarks comes at the back of calls for the relocation of illegal vendors, touts and transport operators, also known as the mushika shika, from the CBD to designated vending points.

It cannot be disputed that it has become extremely difficult to walk through the streets of the city owing to the crowding and disorderliness resulting from illegal vending characterising most pavements in the city centre.

The proliferation of vendors in the Harare CBD comes at a time when Government is championing the ease-of-doing business concept in order to turnaround the economic fortunes of the country. 

Some retail shop owners have complained that illegal vending had negatively affected their business as some of the wares they sell were being sold on the streets for a song.

Moreover, retailers have complained that illegal vendors do not pay any rentals or taxes to Government; hence they are disadvantaging not only the formal sector, but the country’s revenue base too. 

Meanwhile, Chiwenga warned that Government would also descend on all land barons.

“Land Audit Committee iripo ikangopedza report, kubatwa ndokuchange kuripo” said the VP.