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Grace Nyoni Midlands Reporter
Gweru has been identified as the dirtiest city in the country due to failure by its council to deal with vendors, prompting Government to institute “operation restore order” starting today .
Addressing vendors last week the city’s administrator Joram Chimedza said Gweru is one of the most disorganised cities in the country because of vendors who are operating everywhere in the central business district.
“Our city has been found to be dirty and disorganised because of the vendors who are selling their stuff within the central business centre causing commotion instead of operating at designated sites that they were given by the council,” he said.
He added that the Government has deployed task forces consisting of the police, army and council police to every province to carry out operation restore order to remove vendors and other small businesses that are operating illegally within the central business districts.
“We are going to embark on an operation restore order where a task force, which was deployed by the Government is going to remove vendors who are operating in illegal places within the central business centre,” said administrator Chimedza.
Addressing the same meeting Gweru Mayor, Councillor Charles Chikozho, said the city is failing to attract investors because there is no order within the central business centre.
He said some of the retail giants who are interested in investing in the city are complaining that they cannot do so in a disorganised city.
“We are supposed to attract investors, but instead we are pushing them away because there is no investor who is willing to invest in a dirty and disorganised city.
“Some retail giants who are interested in Gweru are complaining of the dirt being caused by the vendors,” said Clr Chikozho.
Clr Chikozho added he is in support of the operation that will take place today, which will restore order in the City of Progress.
He advised vendors who are operating within the Central business centre to apply for licences so that they can be relocated to a new area after the operation.
“I hope that order will be restored to the city after the operation.
“I urge vendors to get licences so that they can be relocated to designated places,” he added.
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