Vendors operating from undesignated areas in Harare have been given until September 9, 2026, to leave their trading sites before Government begins a major clean-up operation.
The warning was issued yesterday by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, who said illegal vending had become a growing problem in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) and other parts of the metropolitan province.
According to the Minister, trading from unauthorised areas has affected the cleanliness of the city, blocked public walkways and contributed to congestion.
He said the situation was also creating challenges for businesses operating legally and raising concerns over public health and safety.
Government, however, acknowledged that informal trading provides a source of income for many people. Minister Garwe said vendors should instead operate from markets and other areas that have been officially approved by local authorities.
Vendors involved in illegal street and night trading have been urged to use the remaining days to move voluntarily to designated vending areas.
Minister Garwe warned that those who remain at unauthorised sites after the deadline could face enforcement action, including the removal of their trading structures and stalls.
The Minister said the Government’s clean-up operation will begin on Wednesday, September 9, targeting illegal vending sites in Harare and the wider Harare Metropolitan Province.
Municipal police are also expected to remain in cleared areas to prevent vendors from returning to the streets. The operation will not end in Harare. Government plans to extend the clean-up exercise to other cities, towns and urban settlements across Zimbabwe.
The main aim is to restore order and cleanliness in urban areas while ensuring that trading takes place in properly designated spaces.
Local authorities have also been directed to assist vendors who comply with the directive by registering them and placing them in designated trading areas. For vendors currently operating on the streets, the message from Government is clear: September 9 is the deadline to leave unauthorised trading sites voluntarily.
The coming days are therefore expected to be important for both vendors and local authorities as Government prepares to enforce the directive.
