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Harare Bureau
Illegal vendors in cities and towns should leave the streets within seven days or risk arrest as the government moves in to restore order. The one week ultimatum ends on Sunday after which law enforcers would descend on the streets to smoke out all pockets of resistance.

The vendors had become an eyesore mainly in Harare and authorities had given up the fight as markets had literally mushroomed everywhere including along First Street.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, Ignatius Chombo, yesterday also directed local authorities to deal with the illegal settlements sprouting in the capital, saying their claims of receiving undue political pressure was mere perception as Zimbabwe was known to be a law abiding nation.

“We’ve agreed that by next Monday, vendors should be at designated places. This applies to all cities and towns,” said Minister Chombo.

He said this while addressing mayors, town clerks and senior officials for local authorities across the country as well as representatives of vendors association in the capital.

“As the responsible authority in your respective councils, I expect you to restore order in this area with immediate effect. I’ve written to the Minister of Home Affairs and henceforth you can expect the Zimbabwe Republic Police to cooperate with you in your efforts to confine vending to designated sites,” said Minister Chombo.

“It’s also my desire that you will make every effort to create as much space as possible for use by the small and medium enterprise sector so that your residents can make an honest living by operating in a hygienic, dignified and legal manner.”

Minister Chombo who was accompanied by Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa agreed to give vendors seven days to clear out of the CBD.

Asked why illegal vending had been allowed to sprout, Minister Chombo said it shouldn’t have been allowed in the first place.

“But we cannot fold our hands saying because it happened, I will let it happen. We’ve decided to put a stop to it. We’ve decided to make sure that those who are superintending over that matter do it. We’ve just reminded them. It’s our duty to penalise them if they don’t comply with the reminder,” said Minister Chombo.

He said Harare City council should reduce its daily levy of $3 to $1, and those that make a once-off $25 payment should be allowed to operate for a full month.

Provincial Joint Operations Command member, Brigadier General Anselem Sanyatwe, warned representatives of vendor associations to comply with the government directive.

“Make sure that your people go to designated places. If they don’t, as JOC, we will deal with you. Honourable Minister can we have a deadline when they will have done that? It can be a one week period or two weeks, but my view is that two weeks is too long,” said Brig Gen Sanyatwe.

Harare Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi said the city had unveiled designated sites both within the CBD and outlying areas.

Turning to the issue of the illegal settlements, Minister Chombo said he was disturbed by the dereliction of duty by city fathers as planning authorities.

“There is too much disorder in the development of housing estates within your boundaries and you appear to have adopted the role of spectator,” said Minister Chombo.

He said there were many incomplete housing schemes, where residents were being fleeced of their money.

“I’m alive to the constant cry by local authorities that they’re receiving undue political pressure in this area of illegal settlement.

“Let me hasten to say here and now that, more often than not, this pressure is perceived. Zimbabwe has a proud history of orderly and aesthetic planning and we’ve sufficient legal ammunition to enforce the same,” said Minister Chombo.

“The days of lackadaisical plan implementation are over, and I’m demanding councils become more serious in this aspect of their work.”

He dismissed claims that some people responsible for the illegal settlement were getting protection from senior Zanu-PF officials saying the revolutionary party wanted order.