05/08/2025
Vendors' ban unlawful, says lawyer Fadzayi Mahere in challenge to government
Harare, August 04 – Harare lawyer and opposition figure Fadzayi Mahere has slammed the government’s abrupt ban on street vending and second-hand clothing sales, calling it a violation of constitutional rights and warning that the order lacks legal force.
The directive, announced by Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe, gave authorities one month to enforce the ban, citing urban bylaws and crime concerns. But Mahere argues that the move—which risks thousands of livelihoods—was made without proper legal backing.
“You have no power to ban trade by press statement,” Mahere stated on social media platform X, invoking Section 68 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which mandates that government actions must be lawfully enacted. “Unless there’s a valid law underlying this ban, it is invalid.”
The ban threatens Zimbabwe’s informal sector, which employs over 60% of the workforce amid chronic unemployment. Vendors, many already struggling with inflation, fear ruin.
Mahere, known for holding officials to account, has again positioned herself as a vocal check on government overreach.
Reporting by Anesu Masamvu and Kudakwashe Chibvuri
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