GOVERNMENT DEFENDS OPERATION CHENESA AMID VENDOR CONCERNS

By SBT Reporter, Harare

Government has defended its nationwide Operation Chenesa clean-up campaign, saying the exercise is targeting illegal trading, drug distribution and public health risks while promising to establish modern vending facilities for informal traders.

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said the programme was being implemented across all 92 local authorities to enforce municipal by-laws, remove unauthorised structures and restore order in urban areas.

His defence comes amid concerns from informal traders and residents affected by the removal of vending stalls and other trading structures in Harare and other urban centres. Figures released by the minister show that 35,365 illegal business operations and activities have been affected since the campaign began. A total of 16,529 structures have been dismantled, while 1,446 arrests have been made. Authorities have also collected US$118,553 and R1,000 in fines.

Garwe said the operation had uncovered suspected criminal activity involving the distribution of illegal drugs and prescription-only medicines. “During the operation, the municipal police also seized hundreds of cartons of illegal drugs and substances, and vast quantities of prescription-only medicines; notably, several of these contained steroids, posing a grave threat to public health,” he said.

The minister did not provide details of the substances seized, where they were recovered or how many arrests were directly linked to alleged drug offences. The government says the next phase will focus on providing properly equipped trading facilities and renovating existing markets. “The existing dilapidated markets will be renovated as a matter of urgency,” Garwe said.

He added that local authorities had been directed to establish designated vending zones with water and sanitation facilities. In a further update, the Government has indicated that it intends to provide vending sites across all 2,500 wards, while Harare's existing markets are also earmarked for refurbishment.

Garwe dismissed reports that the operation was targeting residential homes, saying its mandate was to address illegal structures and disorder rather than demolish people's houses. “The Ministry explicitly clarifies that this programme represents a collective institutional mandate of the central government designed strictly to remove disorderliness, and not to demolish people's homes, contrary to false claims being circulated on social media platforms,” he said.

The operation is being implemented under provisions of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, the Urban Councils Act, the Rural District Councils Act and the Public Health Act.

Garwe said removing illegal structures from roadsides, pavements and undesignated spaces would improve drainage, reduce sewer blockages and lower the risk of waterborne diseases. Some civic and community organisations have backed the campaign, linking certain informal trading sites to alleged drug distribution networks.

Straight Black Pride Zimbabwe Partnership said investigations had revealed that some illegal vending spaces were allegedly being used to distribute drugs to young people. The organisation, however, cautioned against treating all informal traders as criminals, noting that many depended on vending to support their families. “Not every vendor is a drug dealer. Many vendors are honest mothers trying to feed their children. Many vendors are fathers who lost formal jobs and are surviving honestly. Those people deserve our protection, our sympathy, and alternative places to sell,” it said.

It urged authorities to target alleged drug suppliers and trafficking networks rather than focusing solely on small-scale vendors. “Arrest the kingpins, not just the vendors. The small vendor selling drugs is the last link. The real criminals are the suppliers, the importers, the big men who recruit poor people,” the organisation said. It also called for properly equipped markets, rehabilitation programmes for people affected by drug and substance abuse, and greater community involvement in prevention efforts.

Political analyst Abigale Mupambi also supported the operation, arguing that some illegal vending sites had allegedly become channels for drug distribution. Civic Society and Churches Joint Forum regional coordinator Max Mkandla similarly alleged that some cross-border traders were using their activities to smuggle drugs into Zimbabwe.

The allegations made by the organisations and commentators were not independently verified. Despite the support expressed by some groups, the campaign continues to raise concerns about the livelihoods of informal traders who depend on street vending for income. The availability, location and affordability of alternative trading facilities remain central to the debate.

The government's commitment to establish designated vending zones will therefore be measured not only by the number of structures removed, but also by how quickly suitable markets are made available to displaced traders. The challenge is to enforce municipal regulations and address drug-related crime without unnecessarily undermining the livelihoods of people engaged in legitimate informal trade.

 Operation Chenesa Zimbabwe