By Loyd Matare
The City of Harare’s Municipal Police on Friday launched a sweeping operation targeting vendors selling roasted maize and wild fruits across the capital, citing public health risks and persistent littering.
This comes amid widespread concern over rampant littering and claims that vendors are dumping waste into storm drains, clogging them and fueling flash floods during the rainy season.
In a notice, the City of Harare said officers were shocked to discover that some traders were hiding their maize and other produce inside filthy drainage systems.
“Our officers observed serious health violations, including the storage of food in dirty storm drains,” the city said.
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“We urge residents to stop buying maize from undesignated street points as the practice may expose them to diseases such as cholera.”
Municipal police also accused the vendors of littering, saying their activities were worsening the city’s already fragile sanitation conditions.
But the raid sparked outrage among vendors, many of whom rely on maize vending as their sole source of income.
Speaking to AfroGazette News shortly after the operation, several traders tearfully questioned the city’s approach.
“Being vendors is not a choice. What do they want us to do, and where do they want us to go?” one distraught vendor said.
“The economy is biting. We have families to feed, and we hustle because there are no jobs.”
Another vendor expressed frustration over what they described as heavy-handed enforcement.
“We understand health rules, but they should give us proper spaces to work from. Taking our maize and chasing us away doesn’t solve anything,” the vendor added.
