ED to officially open Mbare Market on Friday amid mounting controversy

KUDAKWASHE CHIBVURI

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officially open the newly rebuilt Mbare traders’ market this Friday, stepping into the heart of a storm over controversial licensing fees and allegations of elite capture.

The market, reconstructed after a devastating fire that destroyed small businesses and caused losses amounting to millions, has become a flashpoint of tension.

A Business Times investigation published in October last year revealed that politically connected individuals were eyeing control of the lucrative site, sparking fears that the tragedy had been weaponised for political and financial gain.

Preliminary findings suggested the fire may have been deliberately set—allegedly by activists with powerful backers—seeking to displace existing traders and take over operations in what is one of Harare’s busiest commercial hubs.

Traders and residents, many of whom lost their livelihoods in the blaze, are now up in arms over a new licensing fee structure that totals US$580.

They argue that the fees are not meant to empower them but rather to benefit a well-connected few.

The structure includes charges for rental space, parking, security, lease processing, and toilet usage.

Estimates suggest the fees could generate as much as US$1.4m per month from the thousands of traders expected to return.

The market was built on council-owned land through a partnership involving the City of Harare, the central government, and Masimba Construction.

However, the process has raised red flags. Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume is accused of signing off on the deal without full council approval, prompting allegations of vested interests and a wider agenda to privatize key municipal services, including refuse collection and water supply.

Public anger intensified after a list of approved traders, published in a local newspaper, was found to contain duplicated names and suspicious entries. Many traders believe the allocation process was manipulated to benefit political loyalists rather than those directly affected by the fire.

Some residents have openly declared they would rather continue operating informally than pay fees that exceed their average monthly income.

“I sell goods that rarely bring in more than twenty dollars a day,” said one elderly vendor.

“How can I afford to pay $580?” Another described the situation as a “scam,” designed to push out long-time traders and usher in a new, politically connected class of beneficiaries.

Harare Residents Trust Director Precious Shumba condemned the move, accusing powerful cartels of colluding with government officials to seize control of the market.

“This is a deliberate attempt by the government, in conjunction with the City of Harare, to take over assets that belong to the people. These are ratepayers’ assets and should be managed transparently by the council, not handed over to investors seeking a return,” he said.

Shumba argued that the exorbitant fees are part of a broader government effort to formalize the informal sector.

He linked the charges to a Ministry of Finance agenda aimed at forcing traders to register, adopt point-of-sale machines, and ultimately fall under tax authority scrutiny. “This is about surveillance and revenue collection. The government wants every informal transaction recorded and taxed by ZIMRA,” he said.

He further claimed that the formalization drive is being orchestrated by a network of corrupt individuals within both the council and central government, whose real goal is to displace vulnerable traders and reassign their stalls to more affluent, connected individuals.

“This move undermines the very soul of Mbare,” Shumba said. “For decades, this market has served as a support system for the poor. Now, it’s being turned into a business venture for the elite. Those most affected by the fire risk being left out entirely, replaced by people who never even traded here.”

He urged the authorities to adopt an inclusive and transparent approach, prioritizing those who suffered in the fire and ensuring that Mbare remains accessible to its original community.

“We call on the government and the City of Harare to do the right thing: protect the people who have kept Mbare alive, not push them further into poverty under the guise of formalization.”

In response to the backlash, Mayor Mafume insisted that the city was in talks with residents to find a workable solution. “We are currently in meetings, listening to community concerns and trying to chart a path forward,” he said.

City of Harare’s Small to Medium Enterprise Committee Chair, Councillor Denford Ngadziore, strongly criticized the fee structure.

He said the council was not consulted in the process and that the proposed charges are out of touch with the realities faced by informal traders. “No fee structure has been approved, and no one should be paying anything until a transparent and consultative process is completed,” he said.

Ngadziore emphasized that the council must protect the interests of its citizens and adopt a fair, transparent model as the market reopens.

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