New Informal Sector By-law gazetted
The government of Zimbabwe has gazetted the Bulawayo City Council (Hawkers and Vendors) By-laws, 2020 through Statutory Instrument 181 of 2020. Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) for the past four years has been engaged in protracted advocacy to get the By-laws that was enacted in 1976 reviewed and aligned with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and to conform with the current trends. BVTA in 2018 further pushed for amendments to the city’s Hawkers and Vending By-law through submitting an Informal Sector Model By-law which Bulawayo City Council (BCC) analysed and produced a report and shared it through full council meeting minutes. In 2017, the organisation carried out a study to understand institutional complexes governing the informal sector in partnership with National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Institute of Development Studies (IDS) which revealed that the By-laws used to govern traders were outdated, need to be reviewed and reformed. The study concluded that the then Hawkers and Street Vendors By-laws of 1976 were restrictive, and did not promote the rights of vendors. The BVTA Model By-law was a result of wide consultations that were held from 2016 until Bulawayo City Council invited stakeholders to make their submissions on By-law amendments. BVTA has been following up on the amendment of the By-law since the period of submission. BVTA through its lawyers is still analysing the gazetted By-law to ascertain if it is responsive to issues that were raised such as gender, provision of amenities such as proper ablution facilities, water, proper trading spaces, setting of timelines for the processing of licenses. Vendors and Informal traders in the City of Bulawayo will be sensitized on the provisions of the newly gazetted By-Law as part of widespread awareness campaign in the pipeline
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