Mbudzi People’s Market opens to the public

Herald Reporter
A state-of-the-art $5 million Mbudzi People’s Market, a Public-Private Partnership project between Augur Investments and the City of Harare, expected to provide employment and other downstream benefits, started operating on Saturday. The market, which will change the face of Harare South, will accommodate more than 500 stallholders dealing in different wares and a number of medium sized shops.

The market is expected to be officially opened by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere next month. Augur Investments chairman Mr Ken Sharpe said the market’s major thrust was to augment the country’s position of providing employment.

“This investment will bring significant employment and downstream job creation for indigenous people and has a positive impact on the surrounding community and towards the national policy of Zim-Asset,” he said. The opening event held at the complex on Saturday was attended by stall owners and people from various walks of life.

According to a Press statement released by Augur Investments, the opening event was an opportunity to give the general public an insight on the complex and the potential it has. “This is an opportunity for the public to have a first-hand experience of the shops which will be opened for the first time today (Saturday),” said the firm.

The market will host stockists of wares ranging from clothing, hardware materials, fruits and vegetables, groceries and pharmaceuticals. It provides relief to hundreds of vendors who were removed for illegally trading from the Harare Central Business District, as some of them now occupy the low cost vending tables.

The market will have established business entities operating from the same complex with low scale commercial operators. Notable outlet, Meikles Mega Market, is one of the big retail chains that have already found their way to the market.

Mbudzi People’s Market is expected to provide easy shopping options for people in Waterfalls, Southlea Park, Hopley and south western high density suburbs like Glen Norah, Highfield, Glen View and Budiriro.

Government, though Zim-Asset, encourages the participation of the private sector in establishing infrastructure in various fields like in this case between Augur Investments and the Harare City Council.