By Cathleen Muchena
Vendors at the newly constructed Mbare Temporary Market have raised alarm over steep and allegedly unjustified monthly fees totaling USD580, sparking backlash from informal traders and city officials alike.
Harare City Council’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Committee Chairperson, Councillor Denford Ngadziore, has strongly condemned the fee structure, describing it as “unreasonable and unacceptable,” especially in light of the recent fire disaster that devastated the old Mbare market.
Ngadziore said he received numerous calls from distressed vendors on Monday, all expressing frustration over the proposed charges imposed by the market developer.
The monthly breakdown includes:
- USD200 for rental per trading space
- USD240 for parking
- USD100 for security
- USD10 lease processing fee
- USD30 (approx.) for toilet usage at USD1 per day
This totals USD580 per trader each month—an amount vendors say far exceeds what is viable in the informal economy.
“To put this into perspective, USD580 is more than the monthly rent for a shop of similar size in Joina City, a prime commercial location in the CBD,” said Ngadziore.
“These charges are not only unjustified—they’re exploitative. No vendor should be forced to shoulder such a burden, especially after the trauma of losing their livelihoods in a national disaster.”
Ngadziore emphasized that the current city-approved trading fee in Mbare markets is only USD25 per month. “Any meaningful negotiations must begin from this Council-approved baseline,” he said.
The chairperson also clarified that the new fees have not been approved by the City of Harare or its SMEs Committee.
“A fair, transparent, and consultative process is currently underway to determine affordable charges, and any final fee structure will require formal Council approval,” he said.
The temporary market was constructed on council-owned land through a public-private partnership involving the City of Harare, the Government, and Masimba Construction.
While the development is a key step in restoring order after the fire, city officials insist it must not come at the cost of exploiting already-vulnerable vendors.
Ngadziore urged all registered traders to disregard the USD400 monthly fee reportedly being circulated, which includes parking costs. He assured stakeholders that official fees will only be communicated after proper consultations.
“We recognize that vendors affected by the Mbare fire have suffered immense losses. No one should capitalize on this tragedy for personal or financial gain,” he said.
Stakeholder engagements are scheduled to begin this week to ensure fairness and transparency in determining trading costs at the new facility.
“We remain committed to protecting our vendors and upholding principles of equity and justice,” Ngadziore concluded.
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