Chitungwiza Council: Operation Chenesa Makoni Demolitions Target 500 Structures

• Chitungwiza Council conducted demolitions at Makoni under "Operation Chenesa," targeting approximately 500 illegal structures, primarily clothing stalls, as announced on Monday, 21 September.
• The council issued multiple warnings via public notices and megaphones before removing various wood and metal structures used for informal businesses.
• Affected traders are being relocated to a designated trading area at Makoni as part of the council's effort to restore order and ensure trading at approved sites.
• The operation is also extending to Seke South, St Mary's, and Zengeza, with some traders in these areas already complying voluntarily.
• Former MP Job Sikhala, now founding President of the Zimbabwe Rainbow Coalition and chairman of the National Democratic Working Group, claimed the demolished Makoni Shopping Centre was a hub for ZANU PF activists who controlled vendor stalls and organized terror gangs.

The Chitungwiza Council has undertaken extensive demolitions at Makoni under "Operation Chenesa," targeting approximately 500 structures deemed illegal, predominantly those used for clothing sales.

The Chitungwiza Council has undertaken extensive demolitions at Makoni under "Operation Chenesa," targeting approximately 500 structures deemed illegal, predominantly those used for clothing sales. The local authority confirmed its actions in a statement issued on Monday, 21 September, detailing the removal of various wood and metal constructions that had served as informal businesses, including kitchens, tuckshops, and clothing stalls.

Prior to the enforcement action, the council reported issuing multiple warnings to traders through public notices and announcements made via megaphones. While some vendors heeded these calls and voluntarily dismantled their stalls during the week preceding the statement, others either resisted the directive or subsequently re-established their operations in the streets. The operation specifically focused on addressing the proliferation of non-compliant structures within the Makoni area, aiming to bring order to the informal trading landscape.

The scope of "Operation Chenesa" extends beyond Makoni, with the Chitungwiza Council indicating that similar enforcement activities are being rolled out in other areas, including Seke South, St Mary’s, and Zengeza. In these locations, the council noted that some individuals have already complied with the directives by voluntarily removing their stalls, signaling a broader push by the local authority to regulate informal trading across the municipality.

As part of its strategy to restore order and ensure that all commercial activities occur at approved sites, the Chitungwiza local authority has initiated the relocation of displaced traders to a designated trading area within Makoni. This measure aims to provide an organized framework for informal businesses, reflecting the council's exercise of its Zimbabwe local authority demolition powers, which are now subject to High Court and Constitutional Court rulings requiring due process and court orders for demolitions, and its commitment to enforcing Zimbabwe informal trading regulations.

The demolition exercise has drawn sharp criticism and political commentary, notably from Job Sikhala, a former Member of Parliament for St Mary’s and Zengeza West, who is currently the founding President of the Zimbabwe Rainbow Coalition and chairman of the National Democratic Working Group. Sikhala asserted that Makoni Shopping Centre had been "completely destroyed" by the operation, offering a stark assessment of the impact on the area.

Furthermore, Sikhala made significant allegations regarding the nature of the informal trading hub, claiming that Makoni was a known gathering point for ZANU PF activists. He described these individuals as "hooligans" and "thugs" who, he alleged, controlled the vendor stalls and organized "terror gangs" to attack innocent citizens of Chitungwiza, implying a political dimension to the informal structures and their removal.

Lawyers should advise clients operating informal businesses or using temporary structures in Chitungwiza to immediately verify compliance with local bylaws and permits, as the council is actively enforcing regulations through demolitions under Operation Chenesa. This signals increased risk for non-compliant operations and potential for legal challenges or relocation requirements.

Source: Original reporting via local Zimbabwean media.