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Walter Nyamukondiwa
Chinhoyi Municipality has given vendors a five-day ultimatum to move to designated selling points as it seeks to restore order in the Central Business District. Vendors have been setting up stalls along pavements in the city centre, affecting the ambience of the town.

The move has been met with mixed feelings from vendors and residents. Chinhoyi acting public relations officer Mr Tichaona Mlauzi said there was general consensus between town authorities and the vendors on the need to maintain order.

“We have talked to the vendors and agreed that they would be off the streets by Monday. We do not foresee any challenges since we engaged the vendors and kept the door open for those who had not been designated places to approach our housing department,” said Mr Mlauzi. This follows similar moves by other local authorities, including City of Harare, after President Mugabe said there should be order in cities and towns.

Mr Mlauzi said the move will also fit into council’s plans to attain city status by December next year. He said the operation to remove vendors from undesignated selling points would be jointly enforced by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and municipal police. Residents interviewed welcomed the development, saying it would help to ensure pavements were passable.

“Although we appreciate that people want to eke out a living, it has to be done in an orderly manner,” said Mr Tendai Gwere.