Obert Gutu urges humane handling of vendors' crisis

National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) commissioner Obert Gutu has called for restraint and empathy in dealing with vendors, following the Zimbabwean government's order to remove them from the country's towns. Despite the growing presence of street vendors in most central business districts (CBDs), Gutu emphasized that desperation and lack of opportunities were pushing people to engage in illegal vending.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Gutu expressed understanding for the vendors, pointing out that no person would choose to sell goods on the streets at night if they had access to better opportunities for earning a decent living. He urged authorities, including local councils and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), to address the issue with sensitivity.

"Quite honestly, no normal person would prefer to be vending in the dead of the night in downtown Harare if they had a better alternative to earn a decent and honest living," Gutu wrote. "As we prepare to clamp down on illegal vending, it would be very pragmatic for the responsible authorities not to use draconian and insensitive tactics to address this particular challenge."

Gutu added that a more empathetic and measured approach was needed, stating, "Surely, there is no need to use a sledgehammer to kill a fly. We need to exercise empathy and restraint as we move towards eradicating mass poverty in our homeland."

The comments come after an announcement from Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe on Wednesday, outlining the government's plan to clear vendors from undesignated areas within 48 hours. Garwe accused vendors of exacerbating unsanitary conditions, worsening public health issues, and fostering criminal activities.

The directive to clear street vendors comes at a time when unemployment and poverty levels in Zimbabwe are at alarming levels, with more than half of the population living in poverty. As a result, many Zimbabweans, including young graduates, have resorted to vending to survive.

Vendors, who typically sell goods such as vegetables, second-hand clothes, cooked food, and cigarettes, are often seen as the last resort for many who cannot secure formal employment. Gutu highlighted that many of these vendors are young people, young mothers and fathers, as well as school leavers and college graduates.

"The formal job sector, particularly in the private sector, has been steadily shrinking over the years and as such, the majority of job seekers (mostly people in the prime years of their lives), simply cannot secure jobs in the formal sector," Gutu explained. "The default mode will be for them to resort to the informal sector to sustain their livelihoods."

He further argued that the growing presence of vendors on the streets is a direct result of desperation, not an attempt to be unruly or disorderly. "Massive vending as we are currently witnessing it, is a direct result of desperation as opposed to people just trying to be unruly and disorderly."

Previous efforts to remove illegal vendors from cities like Harare and Bulawayo have failed, with councils unable to control the growing number of street vendors. It is estimated that over a million illegal vendors are currently operating across the country.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the latest round of the government-led clampdown was set to begin Wednesday evening, with Harare City Council and the government expecting to enforce the new regulations. However, the approach remains controversial, with many questioning whether forceful removal is the most effective way to address the underlying issues of unemployment and poverty.