Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke and Obey Musiwa
Allocation of stalls in the temporary traders’ market at Mbare Musika will be done fairly to ensure that all vendors who lost their wares in the inferno last year benefit.
After the completion of the market, there have been allegations that space barons were charging US$10 per person to capture their names on beneficiaries’ lists.
Speaking after a Ministers’ tour of the new market yesterday, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe assured traders that space barons would be dealt with accordingly.
“Harare City Council, working with other Government departments has done a verification exercise that is being done accordingly and with transparency. We will never impose people on you to allocate tables, I can assure you that this will be done fairly. I am saying this because there are people who have been demanding US$10 per person to verify a trader’s position. The verification is done officially, and the names will be released in newspapers,” he said.
President Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster after a fire destroyed stalls and wares at the old Mbare Musika last year, leaving nearly 5 000 traders stranded.
Minister Garwe said the construction of the temporary and the main market which would be done under two phases in line with national development goals.
“This is following President ED Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which targets the attainment of an upper middle income economic status. We are saying there shall be no one and no place left behind in this traders’ market, starting with small and medium enterprises. This modern market is being built in line with international standards so you will be able to see the same structure if you visit other countries,” he added.
Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Government’s promise to traders was being fulfilled as the temporary market was almost complete to pave way for work on the main trader’s market.
“I understand that the process is underway to finalise the selection of the first batch of beneficiaries to be housed in the market and I want to assure you that this process will be done in a transparent manner. It’s worth reminding each other that for an orderly allocation of space to traders, we need more cooperation, solidarity, honesty and transparency. Self-aggrandisement and enrichment at the cost of others will ruin the process of modernising Mbare Musika.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said the task ahead needed all hands on the deck to restore businesses back to normal.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the construction of the traders’ markets was a concept that would spread to all provinces to ensure the transformation of value chains.
“We are talking about the primary industry, that is the agricultural sector, which is based on the success of the land reform programme that has ensured that millions of Zimbabweans have benefited from the land.
“The Mbare Musika market becomes a yardstick for us to measure our capacity as a people, to produce, distribute, and market. This becomes part of a platform, which supports the economic empowerment efforts, by President Mnangagwa, through providing platforms for small to medium scale enterprises, which is part of Vision 2030.”
Masimba Holdings chief executive officer Mr Fungai Matahwa said construction of the structure itself was 99 percent while works on the administration block, and ablution facilities have been completed.
“In terms of the work around the structure itself, it took us about 210 tonnes of steel that we had to put together over a period of six weeks with a remarkable team that managed to do the work to make sure that the structure is up. It covers 7 000 square metres and will accommodate between 1 700 to 2 000 traders depending on the demarcations that will be put in place,” he said.
Traders said they were happy that everything was now in place for them to start working and improve their livelihoods.
Ms Martha Changainesu, a trader said: “As a vendor who was severely affected by the devastating fire in October 2024, I’m grateful for the swift response from the authorities. The new temporary market is a beacon of hope for us vendors, and I’m excited to see it taking shape.”
Mr Ernest Kazingizi said youths were looking forward to restoring their source of income back through the opening of the temporary market.
“We are grateful that we will get our jobs back because the fire affected us, burning all our goods and source of livelihood. We hope we will be able to get loans to boost our businesses as we start working at the new market,” he said.
Another trader Mrs Violet Makaedza said: “As women, we are very happy about this development and all services that will be offered here. To those people who are claiming to own tables at the new market, we hope that the law will deal with them accordingly. We are striving for a living and someone cannot just come along and steal from us.”
