President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on vendors to resist being exploited by “criminal elements” and drug kingpins, while also appealing for an end to night vending.
The President met with vendors’ representatives at State House on Wednesday to listen to their concerns, following the government’s directive for local authorities to clear vendors from the streets.
The meeting comes just days before planned street protests on March 31, led by Blessed “Bombshell” Geza. The plan is to pressure Mnangagwa to step down from office. Said Mnangagwa:
<blockquote>
I urge you as vendors to be alert and vigilant. Never allow the abuse of your sector by criminal elements and drug kingpins.
</blockquote>
Mnangagwa also urged vendors to cease night trading and to conduct their activities in an orderly manner. He said:
<blockquote>
We must have order, and as responsible citizens, we must never gloss over this matter. We must be honest that we cannot let the state of our country degenerate right under our eyes.
</blockquote>
Earlier this month, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe directed informal vendors to vacate unregulated trading areas and stop night trading. However, many vendors have disregarded the directive.
Mnangagwa also said his government’s efforts to formalise the sector should not be viewed as a direct threat to their livelihoods. He said:
<blockquote>
However, there have been some worrisome trends affecting the sector, and if left unchecked, they will have dire ripple effects on our country, overshadowing the important role of this critical sector.
</blockquote>
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe echoed Mnangagwa’s warning against night vending.
He added that his ministry would take a leading role in holding local authorities accountable for mistreating vendors. He added:
<blockquote>
The people who are night vending are creating fertile ground for drug and substance abuse activities. These same people are also facilitating the distribution of counterfeit products, which are sold at night and find their way into people’s homes, further exacerbating health concerns.
</blockquote>
Lovemore Mudzoki, Secretary of the Tuckshops Association, said they are not involved in the demonstrations called by Geza, as these protests disrupt their activities.
More: <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/mnangagwa-tells-vendors-to-ignore-geza-call-for-street-protests/">ZimLive</a>

Pindula News

President Emmerson Mnangagwa told vendors to be careful of bad people and stop selling at night. He met with vendors to hear their worries about being cleared from the streets. Some people plan to protest on March 31 to make Mnangagwa leave office. Mnangagwa warned vendors against criminal activity and selling at night. He said the government wants to organize the sector, not harm their jobs. The government wants vendors to work in a peaceful way. Other leaders support Mnangagwa’s warnings against night vending. Some vendors disagree with the protests because it disturbs their work.

Mnangagwa Tells Vendors To Reject “Criminal Elements” Calling For Street Protests

A Municipality of Chinhoyi pick-up truck’s rear windshield was shattered, and a security officer was injured during a violent clash with vendors in the central business district (CBD) at a popular vending spot known as Magaba on Tuesday afternoon.
The confrontation happened when council employees attempted to remove vendors from the streets. The move was part of the Municipality’s response to a recent directive from Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, ordering local authorities to remove illegal vendors from undesignated vending areas.
Chinhoyi Municipality public relations officer Tichaona Mlauzi confirmed the clashes and identified the injured officer as Virginia Mlambo. Said Mlauzi:
<blockquote>
There were some skirmishes, which occurred at Magaba complex. Our municipal police officers were busy enforcing bylaws that do not allow vendors to operate from undesignated areas, asking vendors to start operating from designated areas.
However, the vendors got rowdy after some instigation from one of them, and in the process they happened to be throwing stones which apparently shattered the rear screen of the municipal vehicle and also injured Constable Virginia Mlambo.
</blockquote>
After the attack, the driver took the injured security officer to Chinhoyi Central Police Station, where she filed a formal report. Her condition was not known at the time of writing.
Police have opened a case for malicious damage to property and have arrested some suspects in connection with the violence.
More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/vendors-attack-chinhoyi-municipal-police-vandalize-truck-as-they-resist-removal-from-the-streets/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

Vendors in Chinhoyi got into a fight with the council when they were told to leave the streets. The vendors threw stones and broke a police truck's window. A security officer was hurt during the clashes. The police arrested some suspects for damaging property. The injured officer went to the police station to report the incident. The council was following orders to remove illegal vendors by the government.

Vendors Turn Violent As They Resist Removal From Chinhoyi CBD

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has criticised the government’s order to remove illegal vendors within 48 hours, calling it unfair to the many people who rely on street vending for survival due to the country’s struggling economy.
In a statement on Thursday, ZCTU Acting Secretary-General Runesu Dzimiri argued that vendors don’t choose this work, but are forced into it because of high unemployment caused by poor economic policies.
The ZCTU urged the government to focus on improving the economy and creating jobs, rather than targeting vendors, which could leave them without a livelihood overnight.
Dzimiri also suggested that the government might be acting to please businesses losing profits to vendors, and that political party big-wigs may have supported vending as a way to gain votes. The statement reads:
<blockquote>
<h2 data-end="806" data-start="622">SUBJECT: ZCTU’S RESPONSE TO REMOVAL OF STREET VENDORS</h2>
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is worried by Government’s directive to all local authorities to clear illegal vendors in 48 hours, claiming that vendors have created a haven for criminal activities and operate in unsanitary conditions, posing health risks to citizens.
The heavy-handed directive by Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, is completely insensitive and reactionary to those who survive of street vending considering that the economy has thrown thousands of people into the streets because of its failure to create employment.
Our streets are littered with thousands of graduates from tertiary institutions, thanks to ill-conceived economic policies that have failed to revive the economy.
We reiterate that people who are into street vending are not into it for their liking, but are being forced due to the unemployment levels largely blamed on bad economic policies.
Instead of harassing vendors, the Government must first of all restore economic growth and create the promised millions of jobs and by doing so, all vendors will vanish overnight.
The Government and Councils must accept the fact that the informal economy has become the biggest employer in the country and therefore it needs to be carefully treated.
Currently, the country is working on a formalization strategy in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Recommendation 204 (R204) that provides guidance to member states on facilitating the transition of workers and economic units from the informal to the formal economy, while respecting workers’ rights and promoting decent work for all.
The recommendation specifically request member states to: (a) take immediate measures to address the unsafe and unhealthy working conditions that often characterize work in the informal economy; and (b) promote and extend occupational safety and health protection to employers and workers in the informal economy.
The ILO) acknowledged the importance of the informal economy and this year’s 113th Session of the International Labour Conference will have a discussion on innovative approaches to tackling informality and promoting transitions towards formality in order to promote decent work.
It is preposterous that the government issues an ultimatum and directive without giving an alternative or permanent solution to the widespread issue of vending.
The council must provide alternative places of trading where there is decency instead of reactionary policies that are inconsiderate of the highly informal set up Zimbabwe finds itself in.
What is more hypocritical for the government is that it has been encouraging people to go on ‘self-help’ projects and declaring them an eyesore now is extremely insensitive.
In fact most of the vendors are mere workers of chefs and barons who give them wares to sell in the streets. There is also a possibility that the government is acting to appease businesses that have been losing profits to vendors.
It is also important to note that some of these people were also encouraged to go into vending by political party big-wigs as a vote-buying gimmick.
The ZCTU is worried that we are heading for another “Operation Murambatsvina” that will result in the displacement of people around cities.
The people in this sector also pay rent and rates and if their source of income is stopped, they would not be able to do so.
There is a high possibility of increased criminality as some will turn to illegal activities to survive. The solution is to sit down with them and chart the way forward.
</blockquote>

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is upset with the government for telling illegal street vendors to leave within 48 hours. ZCTU says many people rely on vending for money because there are not enough jobs. The ZCTU thinks the government should focus on making the economy better and creating jobs instead. They also believe the government is trying to please big businesses and political parties. ZCTU worries that forcing vendors to leave without a plan will cause more problems, like more crime. They want the government to talk to vendors and find a better solution.

ZCTU Slams Government’s 48-Hour Deadline To Clear Illegal Vendors

The Government has issued a directive to all local authorities to remove vendors, particularly those operating at night, from undesignated areas within the next 48 hours.
Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, made the announcement during a press conference in Harare on Wednesday
To ensure compliance, Garwe revealed that local authorities will be backed by law enforcement agents to maintain law and order, hinting at a possible crackdown on non-compliant vendors. He said:
<blockquote>
Additionally, local authorities must enforce regulations requiring that all traders hold valid licenses and operate only in designated areas equipped with adequate sanitary facilities.
</blockquote>
the decision was prompted by the Government’s growing concern over the rapid spread of illegal vendors in central business districts and surrounding areas across the country “particularly the influx of night vendors, which has created serious health, safety, and security concerns.”
He said the Government remained committed to creating a safe, clean, and orderly environment for all citizens, and warned that further measures will be taken as necessary to address these challenges. Said Garwe:
<blockquote>
It has also been observed that the mushrooming of these unregulated marketplaces disrupts the operations of legally registered and law-abiding traders, leading to increased unfair competition and potential financial losses.
Illegal vending perpetuates unsanitary conditions, as vendors operate in areas without potable water and ablution facilities, which poses a significant risk for disease outbreaks such as typhoid, dysentery, and cholera.
Furthermore, the accumulation of waste from these vendors has rendered some roads, sanitary lanes, and sidewalks impassable, exacerbating public health and security issues.
</blockquote>
According to Garwe, the unchecked spread of illegal vending has spawned a hotbed of criminal activity, with theft, robbery, and drug dealing flourishing in these areas, thereby posing a direct threat to the safety and well-being of both residents and visitors. He said:
<blockquote>
The lack of regulation and oversight in these areas allows criminal elements to exploit the situation, further destabilizing communities and eroding public trust in law enforcement.
</blockquote>

The government told councils to remove night vendors from the streets in 48 hours. The vendors are causing health and safety issues. The vendors are illegal, don't have licenses, and are causing unfair competition. They are also creating unsanitary conditions and increasing the risk of diseases. The vendors are also leading to criminal activities like theft and drug dealing. The government wants to create a safe and clean environment for everyone. Councils will be backed by law enforcement to enforce the removal of illegal vendors.

Govt Orders Councils To Remove Night Vendors Within 48 Hours

The City of Harare has set up a new municipal police unit to crack down on illegal traders, people who litter, and those who roast green maize in the city centre.
Mayor Jacob Mafume said this during a meeting at Town House on Thursday. He said the council wants to restore order in the city. Said Mafume:
<blockquote>
We have created a special unit in our municipal police, that is going to be enforcing anti-litter by-laws.
Certainly, in other countries, you don’t roast maize in the middle of town and so forth.
These are the things that we are going to be planning back on with the special units of the police to make sure that the areas are clean.
</blockquote>
Mafume also said that the council is committed to providing informal traders with safe and proper vending spaces. He said:
<blockquote>
We need to have some streets where we do not permit anyone to sell anything in the market or anywhere and then other streets we can agree, after consultation with the informal sector and the residents, where we can allow them to be able to do the same implementation for designated areas, so that we can establish policies.
</blockquote>
However, in an interview with <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200038881/harare-deploys-new-police-unit-against-vendors">NewsDay</a>, Combined Harare Residents Association director Ruben Akili said the council is responsible for the lawlessness in the city centre due to its failure to provide alternative vending spaces.
Akili added that the local authority likely spends more on enforcement than on building markets. He said:
<blockquote>
Resources must be channelled towards building markets in areas where these people can be allowed to do their work.
</blockquote>
While there are no official statistics on the number of informal traders in Harare, estimates suggest there are thousands, driven by the ongoing closure of companies and the shortage of formal employment opportunities.

The City of Harare has a new police unit to stop illegal traders, litterbugs, and people roasting maize in the city center. Mayor Jacob Mafume wants to clean up the city. The council will provide safe places for vendors to sell their goods. But some people think the council should focus on building markets instead of just enforcing the law. Many people sell things on the streets because there are not enough jobs in Harare.

New Harare Municipal Police Unit Targets Vendors And Litterbugs

The Harare City Council is conducting a joint enforcement operation aimed at clearing all illegal activities in the Central Business District (CBD) and all residential areas.
Writing for the City of Harare, Bornwise Mtonzi said the Harare Municipal Police, Development Control Unit, and Amenities, are targeting all illegal vendors, buildings, abandoned vehicles parked along roadsides, and street car washing among others.
The joint operation is in line with a special council resolution made on the 7th of February 2023 by the Environmental Management Committee targetting the City’s bus termini and CBD.
All goods confiscated during the operation shall be taken to the Harare Municipal Police.
Impounded vehicles will be sent to the central stores compound with penalty tickets being issued to offenders.
Acting Amenities head Lisben Chipfunde was quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
This is a special operation that we were not conducting about anti-littering which is so rampant throughout the city.
The Environmental Management Committee resolved that we should start to enforce the statutory Instrument 30 of 2016 which is an anti-litter by-law.
The By-Law states that if any individual is caught throwing litter everywhere is required to pay a fine.
</blockquote>
He added that industries or companies also caught on the wrong side of the law shall all pay fines.
Fines for domestic waste from a standard-size receptacle/cart is US$36, while for domestic waste from a vehicle, one is supposed to pay US$113.
The fine for industrial all commercial waste dumping is US$385 or paid on the prevailing bank rate.
Chipfunde said termini targeted are Speke Avenue (Copa Cabana), Market Square, Charge Office and Simon Vengesai Muzenda (Fourth Street).
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare City Council Plans To Clamp Down On Illegal Activities

Nine (9) Bulawayo City Council (BCC) municipal police officers who allegedly fired at vendors with rubber bullets last month have been granted bail.
The <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/bcc-municipal-police-granted-bail/">Chronicle</a> reported that Ignatius Nyathi (51), Herbert Khumalo (55), Ntokozo Moyo (46), Lungton Moyo (42), Cent Moyo (49) Bekisipho Ncube (50) Lawrence Mathwasa (60 Bekezela Ncube 56, Mthabisi Moyo (30) appeared in court each facing two counts of attempted murder.
They were granted ZWL$50 000 bail each by Bulawayo regional magistrate Joseph Mabeza, who remanded them to 14 March.
As part of the bail conditions, the accused were ordered to report once a week at Bulawayo Central Police Station (homicide section).
Allegations were that on 23 February 2023, at around 7 AM, the accused persons were part of a team of municipal police who were on duty dispersing illegal vendors in Bulawayo Central Business District.
The court heard that the team was dispersing illegal vendors from an undesignated area along 5th Avenue between Lobengula Street and Jason Moyo Street.
They encountered a group of people chanting protest songs against BCC security details. Prosecutor Concilia Ncube said:
<blockquote>
The accused persons who were armed with shotguns fired 41 shots indiscriminately towards the protesting group and as a result, Concilia Ndlovu was shot in the left hand and sustained an injury and there is a lodged foreign object which is yet to be extracted.
</blockquote>
It is alleged that Ndlovu was not part of the group and was carrying out her normal business.
The second complainant Prosper Munemo was shot in the groin and sustained injuries.
The accused were released after their lawyers Messrs Herbert Chimbete and Maqhawe Mpofu of Coghlan and Welsh Legal Practitioners successfully applied for bail.
The State had opposed bail arguing that there was no guarantee that if released, the accused persons would not abscond given the gravity of the offence.
More <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Bulawayo Municipal Cops Who Fired At Vendors Granted Bail

The City of Bulawayo has announced its intentions to clear the streets of all informal traders, those washing cars, plying illegal pick-up and drop-off points, and push carts next week on Wednesday.
In a notice, the Town Clerk Christopher Dube gave the illegal operators until Tuesday next week to stop their activities. He said:
<blockquote>
The City of Bulawayo would like to advise all stakeholders that it will be conducting an exercise to rid the City of all unauthorized activities with effect from Wednesday, 11 January 2023.
All persons conducting unauthorized informal trading on undesignated sites in the City of Bulawayo (on the streets, pavements, roadways), washing of cars, repairing of vehicles, illegal pickup points by private vehicles, commuter omnibuses and buses, delivery of farm produce and other products onto the streets, push carts, heavy commercial vehicles into the Central Business District, illegal throwing and dumping of garbage or litter… are given up to Tuesday, 10 January 2023 to cease their illegal activities.
With effect from Wednesday, 11. January 2023, the City of Bulawayo will be conducting an exercise to eliminate ALL illegal activities so as to restore order and cleanliness.
</blockquote>
Dube said informal traders should register with the city council for them to get licences to operate from designated sites. He said:
<blockquote>
All those who are interested in trading in the authorised sites are advised to visit the City of Bulawayo Vending Offices at the former Dugmore Clinic Offices along Basch Street for registration and licensing.
The City encourages trading at designated sites in terms of Municipal by-laws.
This fosters peace, cleanliness and control of all informal trading activities through the associations which have Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the City.
</blockquote>

Bulawayo City Council Vows To Eliminate Illegal Vending Next Week

The City of Bulawayo has approached the Joint Operation Command (JOC) for assistance to remove ZANU PF activists who have illegally converted one of the city’s streets into a vegetable market.
JOC is a security arm comprising officers drawn from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS).
The City of Bulawayo has accused ZANU PF youths and their leaders of taking over 5th Street in the central business district and parcelling it into vending bays for vendors.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the city’s “Big Spring Cleaning Week” launch Monday, Bulawayo Mayor, Solomon Mguni, said:
<blockquote>
They (vendors) were settled here by politicians from the ruling party (ZANU PF) and we have tried to engage both the party and state security apparatus to try and remove them from this road.
… We have held various meetings with JOC and the vendors’ leaders so as to find an amicable solution.
The engagements are continuing and ultimately it is the JOC which should ensure that these people are removed.
</blockquote>
The ZANU PF-linked “vending space barons” are prejudicing the local authority of millions of potential revenue by taking bribes from the displaced informal traders. | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/council-ropes-in-army-to-swoop-on-defiant-zanu-pf-aligned-street-vendors/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

Bulawayo Council Ropes In Army To Remove Defiant ZANU PF-aligned Vendors

Informal traders (vendors) operating from the streets of Harare have vowed to stay put until the government creates employment opportunities for them.
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) executive director, Samuel Wadzai, said that forcing vendors off the streets without offering sustainable solutions would not end the problem. He said:
<blockquote>Our country has become so informal due to the current economic hardships and as a result, many people are relying on street vending to feed their families.
… street vendors are not criminals but ordinary people seeking livelihoods and must be allowed to fend for their families, especially when the government has failed to provide jobs in the economy.</blockquote>
The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Republic_Police" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)</a>, working in collaboration with <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Harare" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Harare</a> municipal police, has intensified raids on illegal street vendors.
The vendors are accused of obstructing the smooth flow of traffic and littering the streets in the Central Business District (CBD).
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2019/12/31/give-us-jobs-or-we-stay-on-the-streets-vendors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Daily News</a></h4>

Vendors Vow To Stay On The Streets Of Harare

A vendor operating in Harare’s Central Business District has been hauled before the court after allegedly biting a police officer to avoid arrest.
The 36-year-old woman from Epworth high-density suburb, Memory Chamada, attacked Faithful Makombe, a police officer stationed at Harare Central Police Station.
The suspect appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing charges of resisting a law officer. She was remanded in custody pending bail consideration.
According to the State, the incident happened on April 30, 2019, around 08.30 am, along Charter Street in Harare’s CBD.
The police officer was on duty and on Operation Restore Sunshine City when she was escorting the vendor to the police station.
Suddenly and without provocation, the accused started attacking the complainant on the back. Before the complainant’s colleagues could intervene, Chamada held Makombe by her left arm and bit her.
The police officer sustained a deep cut to her left arm and was rushed to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where she is currently admitted.
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More: <a href="https://mailandtelegraph.com/2019/05/02/vendor-bites-cop-in-a-bid-to-stop-arrest/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mail and Telegraph</a>

Police Officer Bitten By Vendor Resisting Arrest

Speaking during commemorations to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, Harare Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa said that the removal of vendors will ensure that girls are free from sexual harassment.
Said Chikukwa:
<blockquote>The City of Harare has already started registering all vendors in preparation for their move to designated vending sites. We want to ensure that public spaces and streets are free from sexual harassment and gender-based violence to enhance the mobility of girls and young women in and around the city. Article 52 postulates protection rights to bodily and psychological integrity, which include the right to freedom from all forms of abuse, and Article 66 states that everyone who is legally in Zimbabwe has the right to move freely</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/chikukwa-gives-thumbs-up-to-vendors-removal/">Herald</a>

"Removal of vendors will ensure that girls are free from sexual harassment": Minister

Addressing journalists yesterday during a Joint Operations Command (JOC) briefing, Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa gave vendors and pirate taxis an ultimatum.
Said Chikukwa:
<blockquote>I am instructing everyone vending illegally and operating kombis and mushika-shika using undesignated routes within the CBD area to move to designated areas as stated in their letters from the Harare City Council. In addition, kombis should comply with the law and use designated routes and pick-up points. They should, with immediate effect, stop plying undesignated routes and pick-up points in order to decongest the CBD.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/govt-orders-vendors-pirate-taxis-out-of-cbd/">Herald</a>

Vendors, kombis and mshika-shika given ultimatum

In an interview yesterday, Police National Anti-Stock theft coordinator Senior Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said they have launched a nationwide operation to stop illegal meat vendors and backyard food outlets as part of measures to fight livestock theft. The operation, code-named “Eradicate Street/Open Air Meat and Food Vendors”, was first launched in Harare and Bulawayo, where police arrested 340 offenders and closed down 13 butcheries and confiscated 458kg of meat between March and May this year.
Said Makodza:
<blockquote>We started with Harare and Bulawayo because those were the hot spots. However, we have discovered that there are rampant cases of meat and food vending in other cities and towns throughout the country. This programme will complement other blitzes such as operation ‘Batai Mbavha dze mombe/Bopani amasela enkomo’ that we conducted in January this year.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/police-launch-blitz-on-illegal-meat-vendors/">Herald</a>

Police target illegal meat vendors in new operation

Responding to questions from senators yesterday, Local Government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere said that Government will soon deal with illegal vendors who sell their items on open spaces and pavements in urban areas especially Harare.
Said Kasukuwere:
<blockquote>You have someone coming to sell their wares in front of someone’s shop who is paying rates, it’s not fair. I was walking in First Street and some pavements are now impassable. We have space barons who sell space that doesn’t belong to them, it’s criminal. The unfortunate part is that our council has taken a blind eye to this and I was saying to the deputy mayor (Enock Mupamawonde) when I was with him this morning during the clean-up that enough is enough. This has to come to an end. We are going to deal with this situation. We can’t allow this lawlessness (illegal vending) to go on.</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/government-to-soon-swoop-on-vendors/">Herald</a>

Govt to deal with vendors who sell items on open spaces & pavements in Harare

Masvingo City Council has started clearing vendors from most street corners ahead of President Robert Mugabe’s visit where he is expected to officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony of the dualisation project of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway tomorrow morning at Chaka business centre, before proceeding to commission the completed Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in the afternoon.
Early this week, Masvingo City Council trucks were impounding vendors’ wares. However, Masvingo mayor Hubert Fidze said the exercise had nothing to do with Mugabe’s visit and said vendors should go to designated areas like the Chitima Market. He also said that shop owners and other licensed vendors were complaining about losing revenue to unregistered vendors.
This is not the first time Masvingo has received a face-lift ahead of Mugabe’s visit as last year some major roads were marked, patched up and resurfaced, while the long-forgotten Masvingo Airport was refurbished ahead of Zanu-PF’s congress held at Masvingo Showgrounds.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/05/17/masvingo-clears-vendors-ahead-mugabe-visit/">NewsDay</a>

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