Harare, Zimbabwe – March 15, 2025
Zimbabweans have taken to social media to express outrage over ongoing crackdowns on street vendors, as municipal authorities, backed by security forces, intensify efforts to remove informal traders from urban centers. The operation follows a government directive aimed at clearing vendors from undesignated trading areas, sparking a heated debate over economic hardship, unemployment, and survival in the country.
A viral image circulating on social media shows a City of Mutare municipal truck loaded with confiscated goods, allegedly taken from informal vendors. Outspoken Zimbabwean social media users have condemned the authorities’ heavy-handed approach, arguing that vending is not a choice but a necessity driven by the country’s economic struggles.
“You attack the very last resort your people have for survival, but you then don’t realize what problems you are creating. People are just after survival, and they will resist some of these things. Vendors are not vendors by choice,” tweeted Setfree Nherera Mafukidze, whose post has garnered thousands of engagements.
Another social media user, Marvin Gudyanga, called on the government to focus on job creation instead of targeting informal traders. “Create employment first!! We want normal leaders,” he tweeted, attaching images of vendors selling food and other goods in urban streets.
The crackdown comes in the wake of an ultimatum issued by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, instructing municipal authorities to clear all illegal vending spaces within 48 hours. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has pledged full support for the operation, stating that no one is above the law.
In response, critics argue that Zimbabwe’s high unemployment rate, estimated at over 80%, leaves many citizens with no option but to engage in informal trading to survive. Vendors, who sell everything from fresh produce to clothing and household items, form a critical part of the economy, yet they face frequent harassment from authorities.
Local authorities, particularly in Harare and Bulawayo, have justified the removals, citing concerns over hygiene, congestion, and public order. Officials argue that unregulated vending contributes to littering and obstructs pedestrian and vehicular movement in central business districts.
Despite these justifications, opposition leaders, civil society organizations, and human rights activists have condemned the operation as an attack on the livelihoods of the poor. Some fear that the removal of vendors without viable economic alternatives could lead to increased social unrest.
With tensions rising, it remains to be seen whether the government will reconsider its approach or if vendors will continue to resist the clampdown. For now, the battle between survival and enforcement rages on in Zimbabwe’s urban streets.