Sundaymail Editor
ON October 8, a fire gutted Mbare Musika, a historic trading hub that provides livelihoods to thousands of people. The Government has since moved in to redevelop the market following the incident. In an interview with The Sunday Mail’s NYORE MADZIANIKE, Local Government and Public Works Minister DANIEL GARWE outlined an ambitious plan for regenerating the facility through the “build back better” approach.
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Q: What is the Government doing to restore order at Mbare Musika after the recent fire incident?
A: Indeed, a fire broke out at Mbare Musika earlier this month (last month), believed to have been accidentally started by a security guard on duty, but we don’t know how he caused the fire.
The fire destroyed quite a number of goods and properties belonging to traders.
We understand that about 4 695 traders were affected, of whom 1 511 were registered with the city council, with the rest working under subcontract arrangements.
The damage is estimated at approximately US$20 million, a significant economic loss for both the traders and the city because this is money that was circulating in the economy.
The Mbare Traders’ Market is a huge market where, according to the mayor (Councillor Jacob Mafume), about US$2 million exchanges hands on a good day.
To address this, His Excellency, the President, declared the incident a State of Disaster under Section 27 of Chapter 10 of the Civil Protection Act.
This declaration enabled the Government to quickly mobilise resources.
At the following Cabinet meeting, we presented a recovery plan and began coordinating with developers.
Q: What specific recovery plans has the Cabinet approved?
A: We spoke to quite a number of developers — about five — with whom we discussed the designs, engineering, construction and finance structuring.
This allows the designer or investor to come up with a model where they provide the resources — technical, engineering designs and funding for the project.
The model will allow the developer to operate the facility temporarily to recover costs.
We agreed on that model and His Excellency and Cabinet approved it.
Q: Who has been engaged to undertake the project?
A: We engaged Masimba Holdings, with whom we are going to sign a memorandum of understanding that includes our ministry and the City of Harare. Harare is the owner of the land where the market is situated.
However, we then requested the developer to move on site and start doing the preliminary works in terms of planning.
We then said we don’t want to stop the traders from operating.
So, the City of Harare quickly identified an alternative space where we are going to be constructing some temporary structures for the traders to continue doing their work.
This alternative space is near Carter House. But the designs that we then settled on last Monday entail constructing a permanent structure that can accommodate more than 10 000 traders.
Q: How long will the reconstruction take?
A: The designs for the alternative space for trading are now at a very advanced stage.
The developers gave us, I think, less than a week to finish the alternative site construction activities.
They also gave us, if the designs are approved, about six months to construct the new Mbare Traders’ Market.
Q: How much, in terms of financial investment, is going into this project?
A: We are now at the stage where we are finalising the design.
The President directed that we should build better and bigger.
This initiative is now part of the urban regeneration exercise that we are undertaking.
So, in a sense, the fire disaster has created opportunities upon which we are now riding on to build better and bigger.
The structure will have three floors.
Those who trade in hardware will be on the ground floor.
Those who trade in vegetables and perishable items will be on the first floor. And those who trade in other products will be on the other floor.
We are expecting to accommodate 10 000 traders upon completion in six months.
In addition, the design of the new market will include cold rooms for cold chain products and dry chain products.
We don’t want our farmers to come and spend days at the market while their produce goes bad.
We also want to promote value addition at the same time.
The unsold vegetables can be put in dryers and become mufushwa (dried vegetables).
Tomatoes can also be canned there in Mbare under the same roof.
Q: What type of structures will be included in the new design?
A: We want to create a decent area where all services are under one roof that ensures farmers do not lose anything.
But, over and above that, we want to ensure that we have facilities for quality management and control.
We also want a secure facility because this will be a huge establishment with thousands of traders under one roof.
There should be a modicum of order in terms of providing security services.
We also need to ensure that we provide accommodation for farmers who are coming from all over the country.
Carter House, which was created for that purpose, is dilapidated.
We have decided to develop Carter House into a budget hotel where farmers can go, spend the night, do their business in the morning and then go back home.
I cannot give you the rates per night right now, but I can assure you the rates will be very much affordable.
Q: There were discussions during Covid-19 about decentralising markets. Has progress been made on this?
A: The markets are already decentralised.
If you go to Hatcliffe, there is a market that needs to be developed again, which is along Domboshava Road, which will cater for farmers bringing their produce from Domboshava.
Along Mabvuku road, there is another market being developed to accommodate farmers from Mutare.
It was not yet fully developed, but we were thinking of engaging developers to work on it.
We also have the furniture manufacturing complex in Glen View that is prone to fire outbreaks.
As we develop Mbare, we have said we must also develop Glen View Area 8.
Two sites have already been identified in the suburb — Glen View Area 8 is one site to accommodate 2 500 traders; another one is in the High Glen area to accommodate another 2 500.
Q: In future, are there safeguards to prevent such incidents from recurring?
A: Yes, we are incorporating fire hydrants and firefighting equipment operated by trained professionals. Our new structures will be designed to withstand various risks, including climate-induced hazards.
Q: Lastly, there have been issues with revenue leakages at Mbare Musika. How is the Government addressing this?
A: Like I said, we had about 1 511 traders who were registered with the City of Harare, but once we put modern infrastructure there, we will be able to register all the traders who are there.
The Government will be able to collect taxes, while the local authority will collect rates.
Everybody will be under one roof, which is well-managed and governed.
And we are actually thinking of establishing a bank within that structure. Imagine, if there was a bank there, that money will be banked.
And the bank is an institution with checks and balances, with a system that will ensure protection and safety of people’s money.
So, there is even going to be point-of-sale machines to ensure that the Government is not prejudiced, the traders are not prejudiced and local authorities are also not prejudiced.
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