vendors and social order
TRANSCRIPT
Commenting on social order in Harare
Social Order vs. VendorsThe idea of relocating vendors taken by Harare City
council ,Bulawayo city council and the Ministry of Local
Governance ,Public Works And National Housing chaired by
Igneous Chombo is a noble idea in restoration of social
order .The problem can only raise when the city fathers have
no enough space to accommodate these people like what
happened during the operation MurambaTsvina era or the cleanup
campaign initiated by the ministry of Local Governance ,Public
Works And National Housing representing the Central
Government. This time around city fathers are trying to
restore order in main cities such as Harare formerly known as
Salisbury before independence .The city is well known for its
tidiness, its favourable temperatures for both tourist and
farmers and its attractiveness of tall glass and iron
buildings. Harare is the capital city of Republic of Zimbabwe
and it originates as a central market of agricultural
products. Today the town has developed to be a tourist
attraction with its green gardens ,such as The mega Harare
Gardens and Africa Unity Square .Bulawayo is the second
largest city in Zimbabwe and it is known as the City of Kings,
because of its rich history of powerful kings who ruled the
land between Zambezi and Limpopo before the coming of the
white men in particular the pioneer column .Thus, relocating
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of vendors from Central Business Districts is a reasonable
step being taken to restore the status of cities at the same
time it is a step taken to maintain social order in big
cities, hence creating a peaceful environment for both
citizens and foreigners to carryout
Their business activities freely.
This paper is going to focus more on Harare the capital city of
Zimbabwe. The Sun Shine City.
PHOTOS OF THE CAPITAL CITY OF ZIMBABWE HARARE
In early 1990s theSun shine city [Harare] streets and
pavements were still clean and free and this was beautiful
indeed .Today one cannot tell a good story aboutHarare Central
Business District. The same congestion at Mbare Musika which
is one of the biggest local market place for all agricultural
produce , is the same congestion that one can experience
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walking or doing shopping in Harare CBD.Today vendors are
everywhere in Harare and Bulawayo CBDs.Vendors are found on
front of supermarkets, fast food cafes and fashion shops
selling tomatoes, vegetables,
stationary,shoes,clothes[bhero]traditional fruits such as
tsubvu,mazhanje and matowe.Not all of these vendors are not
paying tax to the city council of Harare and Bulawayo, thus
they contributing little to the economy of Zimbabwe than
expected considering their huge numbers.Therefore,the idea of
relocating them outside the CBD and the idea of vendors being
registered using some electronic cards is crucial tax payment
.
The reasons why vending should be formalised and why vendors
should be relocated to designated areas around Harare
:[1]If vendors pay tax this will widen the resource base of
city councils
[2] Removal of vendors from the CBD will reduce congestion
[3]Removal of vendors from the CBD will reduce cases of pick
pockets
[4]Removal of vendors in the CBD will reduce the spread of
diseases such as cholera in case of its out break
[5]Relocating vendors will help those shop owners in the CBD
who are paying tax to enjoy their profits.
[6]Relocating vendors from street pavements will allow free
movement of shoppers.
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[7] Relocating of vendors from streets will also reduce
accidents in the CBD
[8]Relocating of vendors from streets and pavements will
reduce dumping of refuses in streets.
[9]Vendors should be removed from the CBD because there are
the main culprits of book piracy and all other forms of piracy
activities [Photos by The Sunday Mail, 31 May 2015]
Below are photos taken by Sunday Mail showing vendors displaying pirated DVDs
and Books inHarare streets.
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Thus, all the reasons stated above at the end of the day are a
foundation of creating peace and sounding relationships
between following people
Types of Conflicts in the streets of Harare and Bulawayo
[1]Shop owners and vendors,
[2]Shop owners and city council
[3]Vendors and municipal police
[4] Vendors and vendors
[5]Vendors and shoppers
[6] Vendors and book publishers and book shops
[6]Pedestrians and drivers
[7] Zimbabwe Republic Police and thieves
[8] Vendors and kombi drivers [commuter omnibus drivers]
The first photo is showing Harare CBD before vending was
a profession
The second photo is showing congestion in Harare at East
Gate Food Court when vending was now aprofessional
professionfor many due to economical challenges in early
2006.
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Challenges that can be faced by City Councils and the vendorsduring the process of relocating
Poor structures for vendors to selling ine.g. lack of
selling tables and standardised shades
These new market places will heavily the price of goods
at Mbare Musika
Poor sanitation in places that vendors will be operating
in
The areas or selling places are generally gravel this
will affect business during the reason
Some of the proposed areas are far away from potential
customers who works in the CBD e.g. Rotten Roll area
Poor lighting facilities
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Lack of funds to develop these newly proposed areas can
be stumbling block looking at the economic status of both
Bulawayo and Harare city councils
Politics can also affect the process with some pre mature
politician taking sides not for the seek of order or
justice but only to gain popularity in the eyes of
desperate vendors.
The number of vendors is larger than the area
proposed[over population]
The implementation and enforcement process can delay the
process of relocating vendors the due date passed and
vendors are still refusing to move.
Corruption can also delay the process relocating.eg some
corruption activities have already been reported during
the registration of vendors.
The question of who is to be left behind in the town and
who to be relocated can affect the whole process e.g. air
time vendors are they going to be relocated?
The list of challenges is endless due to some social dynamics
that may takeplace. This include political interferences and
Non Governmental Organisation interference .A number of civil
societies in Harare are challenging the idea of moving vendors
outside the CBD.No one knows the base of their argument
because the dead line 26 June 2015 has passed already also the
constitution is silent on the issues of vending.Nontheless,
selfglory seeking politicians are taking the opportunity to be
heroes of vendors by challenging the idea of relocating
vendors. This shows that not only vendors are enemies of
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social order in Harare but even some politicians and some
partisan civil societies are foes of social order in Harare.
A Photo of Harare CBD Today showing vendors spreading their
goods on pavements.
The reasons why vendors should operate in town and not at
the peripheral
There are more customers in town comparing with those at
the peripheral or the so called designated sites
Vendors are supplementing the gap that is left by
supermarkets e.g. selling of traditional fruits such as
matamba,tsubvu and matohwe
Vendors sell cheap goods that are affordable by the
locals in these economic hardships
Vendors heavily influences prices charged by shop owners
in the CBD .[over charging ]
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Vending is now a profession for many Zimbabwean due to
the closure of industries in early 1990s
Nonetheless ,it is their right to earn a living through
vending if proper jobs are not being provided
Conclusion
By and large, restoration ofsocial order in big cities in
Zimbabwe is vital as it will attract a number of foreigners to
operate in the country, social order will also restore the
status co of the capital city, and social order will also pave
a room for peace within big cities in Zimbabwe. Relocating
vendors to designated areas will also reduce congestion in the
CBD of Harare and Bulawayo. Relocation of vendors will also
create a formal way of vendors to operate and they will grew
fast to be businessmen and businesswomen. The councils will
also benefit much as the vendors will be paying tax in a more
orderly manner than earlier.Nontheless, Minister Chombo and
Nyoni should not just shout for vendors to be relocated to
designated areas that are poorly built., areas that are far
away from customers, areas that has poor sanitations which is
big risk of cholera outbreak, no selling tables, no proper
lighting and poor form of security. For politician please stay
away from these vendor issues for you are going to affect the
whole process, due to your political interests and agendas.
People of Zimbabwe should understand that social order in
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Harare and Bulawayo is a step towards peace and sustainable
development.
Author: Gwarada Tatenda
Peace and Governance second year student at Bindura University
of Science Education
Contacts: 0774264165
E-mail :[email protected]
BENEDICT T DEWA 0773764286 OR [email protected]
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