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Blessings Chidakwa and Trust Freddy

An inter-ministerial committee has been set up to restore order at Mupedzanhamo Market in Mbare, Harare, where violent clashes over the control of stalls led to the death of one person this week.

The committee will also look into the upgrade of at least three other markets in the city.

Security needs to be boosted at Glen View 8 informal furniture complex razed by fires twice recently and the newer “Coke Corner” and Shawasha Grounds markets need to be built up with proper shelter for informal sector traders.

In addition to the person killed, several traders were injured in the Mupedzanhamo area by thugs claiming allegiance to the CCC party as they attempted to dominate the market and force traders and vendors to pay them to be allowed to operate.

Police have since arrested at least 20 suspects in connection with the Mupedzanhamo violence.

Mupedzanhamo needs a facelift and Government has partnered pension funds and the private sector who expressed willingness to construct and upgrade Mupedzanhamo and Glen View 8 markets, plus others that include the Coca Cola Corner and Shawasha Grounds markets.

Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday said the traders deserved decent accommodation.

Minister Nyoni said the ministry noted with concern the challenges being experienced by SMEs in Harare Metropolitan Province with regards to access to appropriate, affordable and modern workspaces.

“The Ministry has also engaged the SMEs associations who have expressed their readiness to cooperate with Government and the local authority in order to bring back sanity at their work sites,” she said. “As a result, an inter-ministerial Committee headed at permanent secretary level has since been put in place and it has started work on some of the sites.

“With regards to funding for these developments, Government has made engagements with pension funds and the private sector to partner on these initiatives. I am glad to advise that these institutions have expressed willingness to work with Government in renovating existing or put up new modern structures for the sector.”

Minister Nyoni said engagements were underway with Government departments and stakeholders such as Ministries of Local Government and Public Works and of Housing and Social Amenities, along with the office of the Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the City of Harare.

“A recent assessment of Mupedzanhamo Market showed that there is need to renovate and refurbish the facilities before reoccupation,” she said. “There is need to clean the market by removing heaps of rubbish. There is also need to construct additional toilets to match the 1 500 traders.”

Minister Nyoni said the whole Mupedzanhamo complex had only one tap connected to the council water source and hence there was need to put up more water sources to match the demand by traders in the market.

She advised that the initiatives being undertaken include eliminating space barons who have unlawfully occupied open spaces and are interfering with SME operations across the city.

“As a Ministry, we are quite confident that once these measures are implemented, they will restore sanity and enhance development and growth of the sector towards achievement of Vision 2030,” said Minister Nyoni.

“Government has clearly articulated through the National Development Strategy 1 that the emergence of the MSME sector is crucial in promoting employment creation and inclusive growth.”

The sector has become the safety net and source of livelihoods for many.

The Mupedzanhamo area was still sealed off yesterday, with police constantly monitoring the situation, while Cripps Road, which leads to the market, was closed to all motorists, but pedestrians were being allowed to pass.

In the morning, a few defiant vendors were setting up their items in the Mupedzanhamo area as they prepared for the market’s reopening and opening of temporary market sites around the market. By close to noon, the defiant traders were engaged in cat and mouse chase with the police who were manning the area.

“What we are doing is illegal, but I have nothing else to do since this is my main source of income,” Mr Ephrage Tariona one of the traders, said.

Another trader Ms Eliza Tarionga said law enforcement agents should look for other alternative means of dispersing people instead of using teargas which affected the nearby residential area.