Coltart backs arrest powers for municipal police

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has backed proposals to grant municipal police arresting powers, arguing that the move would help authorities tackle growing challenges posed by illegal vending activities along Fifth Avenue.

Coltart said the matter now rests with Daniel Garwe, who has proposed empowering municipal police officers to enforce council by-laws more effectively.

He described the situation along Fifth Avenue as a major concern for the city, saying the area has become overwhelmed by vendors operating outside designated trading spaces.

"The city was never designed to have thousands of vendors in the middle of the city," Coltart said.

"There is resistance from vendors as we seek to enforce by-laws. The challenge is that municipal police do not have powers of arrest."

"If that happens, we will be able to enforce our by-laws better," he added.

The debate comes as Bulawayo continues to grapple with congestion, littering and unregulated trading activities in parts of the central business district, particularly along Fifth Avenue.

However, Bulawayo Vendors Traders Association director Michael Ndiweni urged authorities to pursue dialogue rather than confrontation, calling for a multi-stakeholder meeting involving vendors, residents and city officials to find a lasting solution.

"It is true that people self-designate themselves; that is not desirable," Ndiweni said.

"There should be a balance between trading and upholding by-laws."

Ndiweni also expressed concern over allegations that so-called "space barons" are collecting protection fees from traders operating along Fifth Avenue without any benefit accruing to the city council.

"Some people have become space barons. There are allegations of people collecting money on the pretext of protection fees, but the council is not benefiting anything from that," he said.

He warned that the current conditions, including the accumulation of rubbish generated by food vendors, are unsustainable and pose serious hygiene concerns.

The chairman of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, Steven Nkomo, said some form of regulation remains necessary to restore order in the city centre while balancing the livelihoods of informal traders.

Residents interviewed on the streets echoed concerns about the deteriorating state of the central business district, saying they are increasingly frustrated by having to navigate through piles of rubbish and illegal vending stalls.

The growing debate highlights the challenge facing city authorities as they seek to balance economic realities that drive informal trading with the need to maintain order, cleanliness and compliance with municipal by-laws.