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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association (ZCIEA) has called on Government to align laws to promote growth of the informal sector in the country’s economy.

ZCIEA national president, Ms Lorraine Sibanda, said existing legislation frowns at the informal sector players despite the sector’s contribution to national development.

She was speaking during an economic indaba held at Dulivhadzimo stadium in Beitbridge on Saturday afternoon.

“The current laws governing the informal sector, especially local authorities’ by-laws, are archaic and draconian. These were crafted between the 1970s to 1980s era,” said Ms Sibanda.

“The informal sector’s contribution to the national economy has been overlooked for some time and we are saying the Government must work on formalising the informal sector.

“From our point of view as ZCIEA, the school of thought within some authorities has mainly been hinged on taxing with neglect of upgrading our conditions. We still have challenges of organised infrastructure, ablution facilities, access to potable water and other amenities in some areas where some of our members operate.”

Ms Sibanda said ZCIEA as an organisation believes in mutual negotiations as a way of solving problems rather than confrontation. She said her organisation has over 200 000 members in all its 32 territorial centres countrywide. Ms Sibanda said it was important for Government through local authorities to urgently look into the plight of the informal workers, who were contributing a lot of resources to the fiscus.

“We need by-laws which cater for the current needs of an informal economy like ours. It is important that we address the four pillars of decent work including decent working space and social dialogue among others. In addition we are saying levies to our members should be pegged to stimulate economic growth and sustainable development,” she said.

Ms Sibanda said there was also a need to embrace partnerships in addressing cross cutting challenges in the informal sector.

She said other countries in the Sadc region including Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania had moved a step ahead in embracing the role of informal  economies in national development