BVTA advocates for the amendment of the Bulawayo City Council Bylaws

Bulawayo Vendors and Informal Traders yesterday resolved that BCC must amend Bylaws that are outdated and are infringing on their rights. This came out during a meeting that was organized by Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association, to discuss the Urban Councils (Model) (Hawkers and Street Vendors) By-law of 1976.

Mr Tineyi Mukwewa from Abammeli Human Rights Lawyers said that the Bylaw is no-longer in line with the Constitution of Zimbabwe Section (24) Subsection 2(b), which states that: “The State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level must endeavor to secure the removal of restrictions that unnecessary inhibit or prevent people from working and otherwise engaging in gainful economic activities.”  Mukwewa continued and said that all informal traders and vendors have the right to Administrative Justice and the City Council must review the Bylaws to improve vendors working conditions.

Part of the challenges that are caused by these Bylaws were unpacked by Gracsious Maviza from the Institute of Development Studies (National University of Science and Technology). She talked about the gender insensitivity of the Bylaws and went on to say that women’s rights are not recognized, for example, there are no toilets in vending sites for them to use when changing sanitary wear. She also said that women end up using sex as means to obtain vending medical certificates due to prohibitive costs.

Maviza recommended that the City Council must ensure that the special needs of women are catered for in its planning processes. A BVTA member present at the meeting said that it is difficult to obtain the medical health certificate because Khami clinic is situated far from the townships and the certificate fees are high. Another member suggested that widows, orphans and the less privileged must be granted the waiver of not paying license fees to the city council.

BVTA has appealed to the City Council to decentralize license offices to Local Municipal housing offices and medical health certificates offices to local clinics for ease of access, improved services and to reduce costs,” stated BVTA Executive Director, Michael Ndiweni.

The meeting ended by unanimously agreeing to take necessary steps to ensure that BCC amends its Bylaws so that they conform to the prevailing economic situation in the country and present trading conditions. Currently the organization is in a mission to collect 10 000 signatures, to petition the City Council to review this Bylaw. The organization has also engaged legal experts to analyze the existing Urban Councils (Model) (Hawkers and Street Vendors) By-law of 1976.

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