Online Reporter
ON the 28th of July 2025, the City of Harare launched Operation CBD Order Restoration to enforce compliance to applicable laws and regulations by all businesses operating in the CBD.
All businesses which are not compliant to Council by-laws and regulations are being closed.
The City is taking appropriate remedial action to recover its debt while enforcing compliance to minimum service delivery standards as per President’s Call to Action —No Compromise to Service Delivery.
The Operation covers all buildings, shops and offices in the CBD.
The CBD Operation will be completed by 31st of September 2025 and then spread to other areas until the whole City is adequately covered and 100% compliance levels achieved.
Operation Order Restoration will be now spread to the Industrial Areas (Heavy and light industries,) and Commercial service centres effective 1st of September 2025.
We therefore urge all industrialists and business operators to comply with the City officials as they carry out their mandate.
To avoid inconveniences of having businesses closed, we urge operators in industrial and commercial areas to immediately visit our Rowan Martin offices to ensure maximum compliance.
The City of Harare is committed to restoring order and sanity in the business sector as well as promote ease of doing business to build investor confidence. General Performance (Compliance and Revenue Collection)
1. Since the start of the operation, a total of 1202 Business licenses (New and Renewals) issued, 536 Business issued with Fire Compliance Certificates and 11 Buildings were granted Certificates of occupation after complying with Model Building By-Laws.
2. Revenue collection efficiency on consolidated bill (CBD- Quadrant A) increased by 21%. Revenue Collection efficiency on licensing has significantly improved to 66%.
3. Compliance levels to model building by-laws and shop license act is now averaging 90% (Quadrant A). The City is targeting 100% compliance.
Compliance
1. Business and shop owners are requested to comply with the Members of the Joint Operation CBD Order Restoration.
2. Council is appealing to building owners to avail upon visit by the Team, copies of their approved development permits and building plans to avoid unnecessary business interruptions during this exercise.
3. The Inspection and Enforcement Teams are currently covering Quadrant A of the CBD which is targeted to be completed by the 27th of August 2025.
4. Businesses operating within this Quadrant and the whole city are requested to fully comply with the law by paying up their bills, renew shop licenses, secure fire certificate, acquire certificate of occupation and regularise buildings, where subdivisions were done without approved development permits.
5. The City has established a One Stop Shop (Dedicated Desk) at Rowan Martin Building for easy processing of business license, Fire Certificate, Certificates of Occupation and Regularisation Application Fees for partitioned and illegally developed buildings and shops.
Council will continue to issue closure orders and close all buildings and businesses that are not compliant. It is an offence, without reasonable excuse, to access the premises in breach of a closure notice/ order or obstructing City of Harare Authorised Officers or Members of the ZRP issuing an order or securing premises; or to contravene a compliance order.
Appropriate action including prosecution and penalisation of the offenders will be pursued by Council and the stateenforcement Agency.
