Peter Moyo
The Zimbabwean government has announced an immediate ban on night vending in all cities, including Bulawayo, citing public health, security, and urban management concerns.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe made the declaration during a stakeholder meeting at the Bulawayo City Council chambers, warning that night vending hotspots are breeding grounds for illegal activities such as drug trafficking and the sale of counterfeit goods.
Garwe highlighted the health risks posed by nighttime vending, stating that the lack of sanitary provisions after dark leads to open defecation, increasing the risk of cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne diseases. “All toilets in fast food outlets and hotels are closed at night. This creates an environment ripe for public health disasters,” he said. The minister also linked night vending to the circulation of counterfeit products, some of which he claimed contain cancer-causing agents.
Vendors who violate the ban will face legal action, with Garwe urging local authorities and law enforcement to enforce the directive. In line with the new policy, Bulawayo City Council has started relocating vendors from informal spaces like 5th Avenue to officially designated trading areas equipped with sanitation facilities.
However, informal traders in Bulawayo say the ban threatens their livelihoods. Thulani Ncube, who sells cooked food near the city center, said, “Nighttime is when I earn most of my income because workers come back late from their jobs. The ban will make it very hard to support my family.” Nomsa Dube, a second-hand clothing vendor, noted that daytime vending space is limited and often unaffordable. “Selling at night helped me survive. Now with the ban, I’m unsure how to continue.” Sipho Moyo, a vendor of household items, said, “We try to follow the rules, but with unemployment so high, vending at night was a chance to make ends meet.”
The ban has also come under legal scrutiny and political criticism. Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, a constitutional lawyer and former opposition MP, condemned the move as unlawful. “Vending is a product of desperation—not defiance. Zimbabweans sell on streets simply to survive. There is no provision in our laws for banning trade by press statement,” she said. Mahere cited Section 68 of the Constitution, which mandates that government actions must be grounded in proper legislation, warning that without legal basis, the directive is unconstitutional.
The sweeping ban on night vending underscores a growing tension between government efforts to restore public order and the survival strategies of Zimbabwe’s informal traders. While authorities stress the need to curb health and security risks, vendors and legal experts argue that without realistic alternatives or lawful implementation, the ban could further entrench economic hardship for thousands. With unemployment remaining high and formal job opportunities scarce, the future of night vending and the fragile livelihoods it sustains—hangs in the balance.
