Harare City Council is working on plans to decongest Mbare market by establishing other centres in Budiriro, Dzivarasekwa and Hatcliffe suburbs.

This was revealed by Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore who also sits in the Informal Market committee of the City of Harare.

Below is Ngadziore’s message to his ward residents…

Dear Ward 16 Residents and Stalkholders

There have been an outcry from residents through social media groups on overcrowding of the only biggest Mbare Green Market during this Covid19 lockdown.

Be advised that they was proposal from the City to completely closed down all Markets. Nevertheless they is a proposal for Council to open additional farmer’s markets in the following areas:

Budiriro 1 Community Centre (to serve Glen View, Budiriro Mufakose and probably Kambuzuma).

Dzivarasekwa- Dzivarasekwa Community Centre (to serve Dzivarasekwa, Kuwadzana, Warren Park and part of Kambuzuma),

Hatcliffe Market and Mabvuku to serve residents in those respective areas.

Another green market will be opened to serve Northern suburbs.

From our Farmers suppliers database we will advise the farmers of the new farmers markets. Mechanisms are to be employed to ensure there is uptake of usage of these new markets.

Selection of the sites will be informed by availability of sanitary facilities, space to ensure social distancing and spatial coverage of the city so that Mbare is decongested. Sanitizers will also be availed at these markets.

This set up has its attendant cost of deploying the requisite infrastructure, personnel (Market Officers, Security, Cleaners and Cashiers) garbage collection which will be weighed with advantages of decentralisation.

The proposal is to operationalise this latest by Sunday. We will keep you updated on progress as unconfirmed reports are saying Harare Minister of State for Provincial Affairs already made a decision to recommend completely ban all markets

Denford Ngadziore
Councillor ward 16
Deputy Chairperson
Infomal Sector /SMSs Committee
City of Harare