The Zimbabwean government has given street vendors operating in undesignated areas of Harare until Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to leave the streets and move to officially approved vending markets. The government says a nationwide clean-up operation will begin after the deadline.
The directive was announced by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, who described the deadline as a final warning to vendors involved in illegal street and night trading.
Government cites sanitation and congestion
Authorities say the growing number of vendors in Harare’s Central Business District and surrounding areas has contributed to blocked pavements, poor sanitation, traffic congestion and disruption of formal businesses. The government also raised concerns about public health and security.
Minister Garwe said informal trading remains a recognised source of livelihood, but insisted that it must take place within municipal regulations and at legally designated marketplaces.
Zero-tolerance operation planned
From September 9, government ministries and agencies will begin what officials described as a “comprehensive, zero-tolerance clean-up operation”.
Illegal vending structures, stalls and trading sites will be dismantled, while municipal police will remain in cleared areas to prevent vendors from returning. The operation will initially focus on Harare and the wider Harare Metropolitan Province before being extended to other cities, towns and urban settlements across Zimbabwe.
Vendors urged to relocate voluntarily
The government has encouraged affected traders to use the remaining days to move voluntarily to designated markets. Vendors who fail to comply could risk having their merchandise confiscated during enforcement operations.
Local authorities have also been instructed to speed up the registration and allocation of compliant traders to approved vending spaces.
The coming week is therefore expected to be critical for thousands of informal traders who depend on street vending for their livelihoods, as Zimbabwe attempts to balance urban order with the economic importance of informal businesses.
