By Jeremiah Gora
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has attributed the deterioration of Zimbabwe’s cities and towns partly to what he described as a decay in the country’s moral compass, saying restoring urban order requires responsibility from citizens, businesses and local authorities.
Speaking at a press conference in Harare on the ongoing National Clean-Up and Enforcement Operation, Hon Garwe said Government alone could not reverse the deterioration of the built environment, calling on citizens to play their part in maintaining clean, safe and orderly communities.
“The decay on our moral compass as a society is concerning.
“The remedy is not just the responsibility of local authorities and Government as a whole but largely everyone has the responsibility of being a good citizen and playing their part in ensuring that our homes and cities are well built, safe and above all a pleasure to live in,” he said.
His remarks come as Government intensifies enforcement against illegal vending, unauthorised developments and poorly maintained properties across the country.
Hon Garwe said the deteriorating state of roads, lighting, shopping complexes, buildings and public spaces required collective action, warning that citizens and organisations were increasingly breaching local authority by-laws.
He said some people were trading from undesignated areas, while others were putting up structures without the necessary inspections, approvals or, in some cases, proof of ownership of the land.
As part of the clean-up programme, local authorities have been directed to enforce existing laws while also improving facilities available to informal traders.
He ordered councils to immediately modify and renovate old vending sites, ensuring that they are habitable, safe and suitable for vendors to conduct their businesses.
“Local authorities are also directed to immediately modify and renovate old vending sites and make sure that they are habitable and safe for vendors to trade in,” he said.
The Minister also announced that his ministry would soon introduce amended Hawkers and Vendors By-Laws for local authorities across the country.
The revised regulations are expected to provide updated mechanisms for the licensing and control of vending activities, including arrangements for third-party-owned vending and trading sites.
He said the reforms would also provide local authorities with a framework to regulate vending spaces in a more sustainable, equitable and transparent manner, while increasing penalties for violations.
The Minister maintained that the Government’s objective was not to stop people from earning livelihoods through vending, but to ensure that trading takes place in designated, safe and legally approved areas.
He said vendors and hawkers affected by the ongoing clean-up should approach their respective local authorities to apply for vending spaces and permits.
Minister Garwe also warned against the continued involvement of so-called space barons, associations and other groups in controlling vending spaces, saying the allocation and licensing of vending areas was legally the responsibility of local authorities.
The enforcement drive is also targeting dilapidated and poorly maintained properties.
He said councils had been directed to initiate the issuance of abatement orders against owners and occupiers of buildings, boundary walls, pavements, yards and surrounding areas considered unsafe, unsanitary, dilapidated or otherwise unacceptable.
The orders will cover residential properties, shopping centres, business complexes, industrial properties, offices, churches and other places of worship.
Property owners will be required to undertake repairs, renovations, repainting, cleaning and refurbishment within periods prescribed by law.
The Minister said the clean-up programme would extend beyond Harare to cities, towns and growth points throughout the country.
Harare’s Central Business District, particularly First Street and surrounding areas, will receive continued attention as Government seeks to restore cleanliness and order in the capital.
Hon Garwe stressed that the National Clean-Up Campaign was not a once-off exercise, but an ongoing programme combining enforcement, rehabilitation and improved service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Eng T. Muguti, said the Government recognised vending as a form of livelihood but insisted that traders must comply with licensing requirements and operate from designated areas.
Eng Muguti said stakeholder engagement would continue, but stressed that dialogue would focus on compliance with existing laws rather than negotiating away legal requirements.
The Government’s latest measures therefore combine enforcement with the rehabilitation of designated vending infrastructure and planned regulatory reforms as authorities seek to restore order while creating regulated spaces for informal economic activity.
