Chitungwiza Municipality has intensified its Operation Chenesa campaign, removing illegal structures at Makoni Business Centre as authorities move to restore order at one of the city’s busiest trading areas.
The clean-up followed public notices and announcements made through megaphones, giving traders advance warning before the operation began.
Some vendors dismantled their stalls voluntarily, while others resisted the exercise or returned to the streets after the structures had been removed.
The operation targeted wooden and metal structures that had been converted into kitchens, tuckshops and clothing stalls. The clothing trade reportedly accounts for about 500 of the structures affected by the municipal action.
Municipal teams are also extending the clean-up to other areas, including Seke South, St Mary’s and Zengeza, as the local authority seeks to curb the growth of unapproved trading sites.
As part of the process, Chitungwiza Municipality has begun allocating traders to a designated trading area at Makoni Business Centre. The move is intended to provide vendors with approved spaces while reducing congestion and improving the overall appearance and management of the area.
The operation forms part of the municipality’s broader effort to enforce regulations governing public spaces and commercial activity. Authorities have urged traders to use designated sites and comply with municipal requirements to avoid further disruptions.
However, the resistance from some vendors highlights the difficulties faced by local authorities when informal traders depend on unauthorised spaces for their livelihoods.
The success of the exercise is likely to depend not only on enforcement, but also on whether the designated trading areas are adequate, accessible and affordable for affected traders.
For now, the municipality appears determined to continue with the clean-up, with Makoni, Seke South, St Mary’s and Zengeza remaining key areas of focus.