Harare CBD Blitz: Council Launches Joint Operation to Restore Order

In a targeted blitz to reclaim the city centre, the Harare City Council has deployed a combined force of traffic officers and municipal police to crack down on illegal vendors and chaotic traffic in designated hotspots.

The operation, confirmed by Harare City Council Chamber Secretary Advocate Warren Chiwawa, is a concerted effort to restore normalcy to the capital’s central business district.

“We are targeting hotspots. So it is true that we regularly embark on joint enforcement exercises between Harare Traffic and Harare Municipal Police so that we ensure that public safety is prioritised.

“So basically, it’s an exercise which is meant to enforce the vendors bylaws, the traffic bylaws, and the hawkers. City Council brings back normalcy to the CBD,” said Adv. Chiwawa.

The long-awaited sense of order descended upon the city centre today as the massive joint operation swept through the streets. For the first time in months, pedestrians moved freely along major thoroughfares that had been reduced to obstacle courses by makeshift stalls and goods displayed on undesignated sites.

The operation, which began in the early hours of the morning, saw agents sweep through key areas like the Market Square junction and the bus termini. Simultaneously, traffic officers were stationed at critical intersections to unsnarl gridlock caused by unruly commuter omnibuses.

The move was met with relief by members of the public and formal business owners who have long complained that the CBD had become unmanageable.

“It feels like a proper city again,” remarked Tariro Gumbo, a bank teller who uses the CBD daily. “Before, you couldn’t even walk on the pavement without being hassled or having to step into the road. There is a bit of sanity today.”

Council officials stated the operation is not a one-off but the beginning of a sustained campaign to restore order, promising that the sight of free-flowing traffic and clear walkways will soon be the new normal.