The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has raised concern over alleged human rights violations during the eviction of informal traders, documenting cases of intimidation, overnight detention and confiscation of goods in its September report.
The evictions are taking place under Operation Chenesa, a government-led initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to restore order in urban areas by removing vendors operating from undesignated sites.
In Bulawayo, the local authority has urged informal traders to move to approved vending areas ahead of the operation’s full implementation. Traders have been encouraged to register at Bhaktas vending site and other designated locations, including sites established in residential areas.
However, ZPP said enforcement measures had raised concerns about the protection of traders’ rights and livelihoods, particularly for those who depend on vending to support their families.
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The report cited cases in Harare Ward 6 where a vendor was detained overnight for trading at an undesignated site, while others faced the confiscation of goods and fines. In Epworth, planned removals threatened traders who reportedly had paid licence fees.
“Vendor operations also raised serious rights concerns,” the report said.
ZPP also documented threats against six human rights defenders who opposed the evictions and took part in a candlelight vigil in Harare. The activists reportedly received threatening calls, messages and visits from unidentified men, leaving some fearing for their safety.
The organisation said such incidents could discourage civic participation and undermine freedoms of association and expression, as well as personal security.
The report also cited alleged coercion of teachers in Epworth Ward 5 into joining a ruling-party-linked association and paying subscription fees under threats of violence.
In rural Mutare, authorities reportedly threatened demolitions and evictions over unpaid head taxes, putting homes, businesses and livelihoods at risk.
The findings raise questions about how authorities can enforce municipal by-laws while protecting the rights and economic security of informal traders and other affected communities.
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