Mugabe brings Murambatsvina to Harare

The City of Harare has developed a framework for inner city renewal which is aimed at decongesting the City and bringing order and sanity in the Central Business District. In the implementation of the first phase of the framework, the City of Harare has resolved to embark on an intensive exercise to bring order and sanity in the Central Business District and other affected areas in light of the unprecedented levels of chaos prevailing in the City. The second phase of the inner city renewal framework will start with a Stakeholders meeting on Wednesday 18th October at Town House. The meeting will focus on developing a Planning and Economic framework for the CBD and coming up with strategies for organized economic activity in the CBD.The development of proper facilities for SMEs and the large modern markets is a priority area with the first one being constructed by CBZ at Corner Cripps Road and Seke Road.

In light of the aforementioned, Council with full support of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, all law enforcement agents and other order-loving stakeholders in Harare, is implementing Operation Restore Order – an operation to decongest the City. This will be done through the re-organization of the informal sector, long distance bus operations and commuter omnibuses as part of efforts to lay the foundation for sustainable vending and commuter omnibus operations in our beautiful Harare.

VENDORS REGISTRATION

Harare City Council recognizes the important role played by the informal sector in the national economy especially during this period when our country is facing macro- economic challenges. We accept that the informal sector is critical in income generation but there is need to balance that with order, compliance with by-laws, and respecting formal businesses that contribute to the development of the country through payment of taxes.

The City has previously registered over 30 thousand vendors against a huge demand. Some of the registered vendors have since abandoned their sites. Therefore all registered vendors who have electronic cards are directed to return to the allocated sites. Not all vendors can be accommodated in the Central Business District, others will be accommodated in the districts. Those allocated space for weekend flea markets should start operations every Saturday after 1pm and are directed to remove their wares and clean up their areas by 5pm every Sunday.

New vendor registration programme will commence on Tuesday 10 October 2017 at the Housing and Social Development Department Offices along Remembrance Drive in Mbare and in the CBD, a registration desk will be stationed at the corner of Speke Avenue and Cameron Street.

The registration programme is meant to facilitate the allocation of approved sites both in the CBD and the Suburban districts. Each person would be allowed one vending spot in the CBD and in the suburbs. There will be no multiple stallholders. We want to avoid issues of subletting, and creation of space barons who continue to extort money from desperate vendors. Each registrant is required to furnish the team with their name, National Identification Number, area of trade, residential address and contact details. For registration, each vendor will be issued with a registration number and identification that restricts one to a particular vending site. Those allocated will be required to keep the areas clean and abide by the set regulations.

TRADING OUTSIDE DESIGNATED ZONES

Trading outside the demarcated zones will attract the full wrath of the law and deregistration for repeat offenders. All fresh produce wholesalers are prohibited from operating in the CBD their space is at Mbare and Lusaka wholesale markets while pushcarts are also prohibited in the CBD in terms of the push carts by-law. In addition to that, the City will demolish all illegal structures on vending sites and ranks. We therefore urge those who had erected illegal structures to pull them down immediately- failure of which Council will assist them to do so.

The sale of groceries on the streets is strictly prohibited. Obstruction of roads by vendors is a punishable offense in terms of the Criminal Law and Codification Reform Act. It is important to note that trading from car boots is also illegal and those willing to be allocated vending space should register and comply with the relevant by-laws. The City of Harare also notes with concern the wanton disregard of principles of fair competition as some illegal vendors are occupying frontage of shops of compliant businesses. Those involved in this practice should stop forthwith and operate from designated vending sites.

COMMUTER OMNIBUS HOLDING BAYS

Defiant Commuter Omnibus Operators who flout by-laws by picking and dropping off passengers at undesignated pick up points, have caused chaos and mayhem in the City. Council is therefore going to enforce the use of Holding Bays designed to decongest the city. These are as follows:

1. All Commuter Omnibus Operators who use Copacabana Bus Terminus and Market Square Bus Terminus are with immediate effect instructed to go back to the Coventry Holding Bay where a proper control mechanism has been put in place to ensure the re-operationalisation of the bay.
2. All Commuter Omnibus Operators who use S.V Muzenda (Fourth Street), and Charge Office Bus Termini are going to use the space opposite Rhodesville Police Station along Robert Mugabe Road as their holding bay.
3. Commuter Omnibus Operators are hereby reminded of the official designated bus ranks in the CBD, which are:

a) Copacabana – Western and northwestern suburbs

b) Charge Office – Chitungwiza and southern suburbs

c) Fourth Street – Ruwa, Marondera, eastern and north eastern suburbs

d) Market Square – Western and Southern suburbs e) Rezende – Mt Pleasant and University of Zimbabwe.

Council is in the process of rationalizing the issuance of route authority and will withdraw these from non-compliant operators. All illegal taxi operators commonly known as mushika-shika are instructed to stop operating forthwith .All those willing to operate as taxi operators should follow the necessary procedure and register.

Council together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police are going to take decisive measures against operators who willfully cause chaos by using undesignated ranks.

LNG DISTANCE BUSES RANKS

Mbare remains the main bus terminus for long distance buses. Bus operators for destinations listed below who wish to utilize the pick-up points specified below , must register at Mbare District Office and obtain special permits . Shuttle buses will ferry passengers to and from the sites.

The long distance buses, which were using pick up and drop off zones in the CBD are with immediate effect instructed to desist from that illegal practice. Long distance buses should use the following pick up and drop off points:

1. Bulawayo bound buses are going to use an open space between Long Chen Plaza and National Sports Stadium between Samora Machel Avenue and Kirkman Road.
2. Mutare bound buses are going to use the open space at the corner of Cripps Road and Seke Road next to City of Harare Quarry site.
3. Masvingo bound buses are going to use the terminus at Mbudzi Roundabout.
4. Bindura Bound commuter omnibuses are going to use an open space along Leopold Takawira (western side) between Josiah Tongogara Street and Cork Road.

Stakeholders are required to play their part in making the sunshine city the pride of Zimbabwe.

HARARE TO ACHIEVE A WORLD CLASS CITY STATUS BY 2025

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