Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana has defended the Government’s directive for vendors to va...
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana has defended the Government’s directive for vendors to vacate undesignated trading sites by September 9, saying street trading must be balanced with public order, health and safety.
Mangwana said the issue was a complex urban challenge because vending provides an important source of income for many people, while unregulated trading can affect formal businesses and the use of public spaces.
In a post on X on Sunday, he said street trade was a vital source of income and an important part of the retail sector globally, but needed to operate within a regulatory framework.
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“The debate over vendor relocation is a complex urban challenge. While street trade is a vital source of income and an integral part of the retail sector globally, cities must balance this with public health and safety,” Mangwana wrote.
He said designated vending zones could provide a practical way of accommodating informal traders while maintaining order in urban areas.
“Designated vending zones, equipped with ablution facilities and waste management, offer a practical compromise,” he said.
Mangwana, however, said traders should operate only from spaces approved by authorities and should not set up directly outside formal businesses.
“However, vending must be legal, properly regulated, and conducted only in approved spaces not on the doorsteps of supermarkets or other formal businesses, as this creates unfair competition and obstruction,” he said.
His comments come after Government ordered vendors operating from undesignated sites to vacate by September 9. The directive has focused attention on how informal traders can continue earning livelihoods while trading from locations approved by local authorities.
Mangwana said regulated vending could protect both public order and small businesses, arguing that designated spaces should provide basic facilities such as ablution services and waste management.
“This approach, used successfully in many cities, protects both public order and the viability of small enterprises,” he said.
The Government’s position is that informal trading can continue, but traders must operate from approved areas rather than occupying spaces outside supermarkets and other formal businesses.
The debate over vendor relocation therefore centres on finding trading arrangements that allow informal businesses to operate while addressing concerns over public health, safety, obstruction and competition with formal retailers.
