MINISTER Daniel Garwe declared “Chenesa Harare” on 9 September, deploying 300 municipal police with Mayor Jacob Mafume’s backing. Violence erupted on 26 September when vendors resisted, leading to nine arrests on public violence charges, while bulldozers moved around the city destroying informal trading stalls and unauthorized structures.
Vendors used whistles and WhatsApp networks to evade police and return to the streets, demonstrating their determination to protect their livelihoods. Government later limited CBD vending to 6 AM–6 PM, a policy retreat, with Mafume admitting: “We can’t clear vendors in one day.” The crackdown raises serious questions about vendors’ constitutional right to livelihood and dignity, as hundreds of informal traders face displacement without alternative arrangements. ZimRights had issued a warning against the move.