Zimbabwe: 'We Will Not Go Anywhere', Harare Vendors Vow to Defy Government Order

What the report says

Street vendors in Harare, Zimbabwe, have said they will resist a government order to leave the capital’s streets and move to designated trading sites, arguing that informal trading is their main source of income in an economy with limited formal jobs. The report, published by New Zimbabwe and distributed by AllAfrica, says the pushback comes as Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe’s seven-day eviction notice was set to expire on September 9, 2026.

Garwe has warned of a planned “zero-tolerance” clean-up campaign aimed at removing illegal vending from undesignated areas in Harare, with the operation expected to be extended to other towns and cities. He said vendors should relocate to lawful markets provided by local authorities and that illegal structures would be dismantled. The minister also acknowledged that informal trading is a livelihood, but insisted it must comply with municipal by-laws.

Vendor representatives and advocacy groups said the approach risks worsening hardship. Cephas Muchegwa, one vendor quoted in the report, said people had few alternatives for survival. The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation said authorities should follow the government’s own informal-economy formalisation strategy and create safe, workable relocation options before displacing traders. The Harare Residents Trust also criticized the crackdown, saying vending reflects deeper economic problems, including unemployment and business pressure.

The article adds broader context: Zimbabwe’s informal economy is large, and previous efforts to clear street vending in Harare have reportedly had limited lasting success because traders often returned after enforcement ended.