Ruwa to construct bigger market for informal traders

THE Ruwa Local Board is set to build a bigger market for vendors to operate from as part of the efforts to restore order and bring sanity.

Speaking after a stakeholders meeting to deliberate on illegal vendors in Ruwa which was followed by a tour of the vending sites, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Province Oliver Chidau said there was need to restore order in the town through creation of a vendor market which would cater for all vendors.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East Province Aplonia Munzverengwi, Permanent Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Harare Metropolitan Mr Tafadzwa Muguti, chairman of the Ruwa Local Board councilor Kizito Chavakwa, members of the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), senior Government officials and Zanu PF party members among others.

Ruwa falls under Mashonaland East but Harare is responsible for the Ruwa Local Board ,hence the joint meeting.
During the tour, The Herald witnessed illegal vendors selling their wares along the railway line. Minister Chidau said they were going to ensure that all the illegal vendors get a space to operate from at the new market.

“We are here to enforce and support our local authority who are doing a good job in ensuring that there is order in Ruwa and the good job that they are doing,” he said.

“There were concerns in some areas and obviously that is what we are here to discuss.
What we have done in Harare is that when a person has a place to sell their wares from, they do not just come and sell but it has to be approved by the council.

“We are here to do the same, to restore order and Zimbabwe by 2030 we should be an upper-middle income class which means we must develop. That development, we must do it ourselves.”

Minister Munzverengwi said there were issues in Ruwa which they felt they were a stakeholder, thus they engaged Minister Chidau.

“Today is a game changer for us as a province because we are here with the leadership from Mashonaland East from the Government’ and also from the party’s (Zanu PF) side,” she said.

“There are issues here in Ruwa where we feel we are a stakeholder and we decided to engage our fellow minister. We are aware that Harare is responsible for the Ruwa Local Board but we are also involved with interests in Ruwa. I think from today there is going to be change in Ruwa.”-The Herald