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Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA has declared the Mbare Market, which was extensively damaged by fire last Tuesday, a state of disaster, paving the way for its reconstruction in line with Vision 2030.
Already, all modalities are now in place for modernisation works to commence.
In line with creating safe, healthier and modern markets, the Government will now develop all markets, including the Glen View Area 8 furniture home industry, which is infamous for fires.
The Mbare Traders Market, one of Harare’s largest and most iconic markets, was razed down by fire last Tuesday night.
In a statement, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said the President declared the Mbare Market inferno a state of disaster, in terms of Section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act [Chapter 10:06].
“The unfortunate inferno, which razed down the whole retail section and parts of the wholesale market, affected over 4 000 traders whose livelihoods have been negatively impacted.
“The declaration will thus assist in mobilising necessary resources, in cash and kind, to support the rebuilding of the market as well as assist affected entrepreneurs resuscitate their businesses,” he said.
Minister Garwe advised the nation that the Government, in collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders, was working flat out to build back better.
Addressing journalists at the post-Cabinet yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said Cabinet received and adopted the report on the rebuilding of the market in partnership with the private sector.
Dr Muswere said the declaration by President Mnangagwa will facilitate appropriate response measures to the incident which affected 4 695 traders and income generation capacity worth millions of dollars per day.
“Accordingly, Cabinet approved the engagement of a leading engineering, construction and development company to partner with the Government in rebuilding the Mbare Traders’ Market, under a Design, Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Finance (DEPC+F) model.
“This model will ensure that high-quality facilities are completed and commissioned within the shortest possible time. It will also allow traders to resume operations in an orderly environment that facilitates formalisation and payment of taxes,” he said.
Dr Muswere added: “The model can and will be replicated to upgrade other similar markets across the country.”
The minister said pertinent to note is that similar fire incidences have been recorded at other markets in the City of Harare, with the primary causes being the use of highly combustible materials and lack of fire-prevention infrastructure.
“The Harare City Council does not have the capacity to address the incidents. Government has to intervene and is promoting private sector participation to complement its efforts,” he said.
Fielding questions from journalists, Minister Garwe said the Mbare inferno created an opportunity for the Government, in particular, to design and build sustainable infrastructure that will ensure orderliness in terms of conducting business.
“We are going to put modern infrastructure on perhaps two, three floors to ensure that those that are involved in dealing with hardware have their floor, those that have ICT equipment on a different floor and so on.” Minister Garwe said they were now moving away from the situation where some informal traders were ungovernable.
“We are all aware that Mbare Traders’ Market in particular was generating an excess of US$2 million per day and what was gutted by fire we are told is also more than about US$20 million.
“It is a huge economy on its own and we need to put proper structures that are sustainable to climate change, that are sustainable to any fire or any other disaster,” he said.
Minister Garwe said the same model will be replicated at Glen View Area 8, the biggest furniture manufacturing centre in Harare.
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