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Blessings Chidakwa and Remember Deketeke

All is now in place for the modernisation of Mbare Traders’ Market following an inferno that destroyed it last month.

Yesterday, the Government, Harare City Council and the contractor formally sealed the deal.

The contractor is scheduled to start moving on-site tomorrow with designs awaiting scrutinisation by the President.

Further, a team of experts from Government, Harare City Council and Masimba Holdings will also visit modern markets in Russia to take a leaf on materials being used for the construction of modern markets.

President Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster for Mbare following an inferno that destroyed stalls and wares last month.

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume and Masimba Holdings chief executive Fungai Matahwa signed the deal yesterday.

“It is also important to note that the designs that we are talking about are going to be scrutinised by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. He has got a personal interest in ensuring that our small to medium enterprises are given the decency that they deserve as players in the economic development of Zimbabwe,” said Minister Garwe.

The minister said the Mbare Traders Market speaks to the entire nation towards Vision 2030. “In that vision, we are directed to pursue and ensure that we implement the policy on urban transformation, the policy on urban regeneration, retrofitting our buildings that are dilapidated, that are too old, that also speaks to Vision 2030,” he said.

“It is sad as it is that our relatives, the traders in Mbare lost their money, produce, and wares due to the inferno but there is a huge opportunity that has risen out of that, starting the journey of urban transformation.”

Minister Garwe said they will cascade the development throughout all traders’ markets countrywide including Glenview 8 common for perennial fires.

“So, we want to ensure that our small to medium enterprises have got decent, affordable and modern operational areas for their businesses.”

Minister Garwe said they have been directed to visit a place in Russia which has got “very modern markets”.

“The Mayor and his team from the Harare City Council and the engineers from our investor will be part of that delegation to go and see what other people are doing so that we can replicate it here,” he said.

“The wheel is already round, there is no need to sit down and start redesigning it. What we need to do is to refine it and make it better. Let’s make our people’s markets better for the future generations and for ourselves as well.”

Minister Garwe said plans have also been mulled to convert Carter House in Mbare into an affordable elegant hotel for farmers and traders who will be visiting the country’s largest and most iconic markets of Mbare.

“We are going to be redeveloping and repurposing Carter into a budget hotel, with affordable rates for farmers that are coming as far as Domboshava, Mudzi, Murewa, who can’t travel back within the same day.

“They need some accommodation that is very affordable. So, Mayor, we want to work together to ensure that we provide a service to the residents of Harare, to the citizens of Zimbabwe.”

Harare Mayor Mafume said the intervention is meant to protect residents, the vulnerable, and the vendors who lost their properties.

“We are trying to make sure that their properties are never lost again. So, we are grateful that we could cooperate with the Government and the private sector in this manner. So we are committed and we hope that our contractor can get on the ground as quickly as possible tomorrow and will give them all the support that is required,” he                                                                                    said.

Mayor Mafume said the full council meeting held yesterday also endorsed the programme.

“I know some residents were saying what about the termini, what about the access roads and other activities that are happening in Mbare. But every step begins with one step. We will take the lessons learned from this process and then be able to look at improving the ambience around the issue,” he said.

Masimba CEO Matahwa thanked the Government and council for coming up with this agreement making sure they embark on a journey which is about bringing back a bigger project in Mbare after an unfortunate incident.

“As Masimba we are ready to mobilise on-site, especially to do the temporal structure, as of tomorrow (today) we want the grounds to start working.”