Staff Writer
HARARE– Mkoba MP John Kuka has pressured the government to stitch a comprehensive program to establish designated vending zones and “decent workspaces” for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in an effort to curb the ongoing displacement of informal traders from city streets.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Leader of Government Business and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi, bowed down to the pressure and revealed that a joint initiative is underway to regularize the informal sector while providing traders with sustainable alternatives.
The announcement was prompted by a question from Hon. Kuka, who raised concerns over the welfare of vendors who are frequently evicted by authorities without being offered secondary locations to conduct their business.
“What are the government’s plans with regards to vendors and SMEs, considering that they are being chased from the streets without providing alternatives?” Hon. Kuka asked.
In his response, Minister Ziyambi assured the house that the executive is “very much alive” to the plight of informal traders and is working toward a structured solution that balances urban order with economic necessity.
“We have got a programme to ensure that we regularize [the sector]. We have designated areas,” Ziyambi stated.
“The Ministry of Local Government, together with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, is working on providing decent workspaces and also to ensure that we do not have people selling in undesignated areas.”
The Minister emphasized that the goal of the program is to move away from chaotic street vending toward a formalized system that provides dignity to traders.
By creating these designated hubs, the government hopes to eliminate the “cat-and-mouse” chases between municipal police and vendors that have characterized urban centers in recent months.
The move marks a significant step toward the formalization of Zimbabwe’s vast informal economy, which supports millions of livelihoods across the country.
Details on the specific locations and timelines for the new workspaces are expected to be released as the inter-ministerial task force concludes its planning phase.
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