Council targets illegal food vendors as it fights cholera

By Vincent Mungofa and Blessed Ndlovu | Dec. 12, 2023 | 3 Min read

Zimbabwe has been struggling to contain the spread of cholera, with government announcing measures to deal with the disease amid fears of a repeat of the 2008 outbreak that became a national emergency.

HARARE City Council says it will remove illegal food vendors from the central business district (CBD) as it battles to contain the spread of cholera.

This comes as cholera cases have emerged in all of Zimbabwe’s provinces, with the most alarming spikes in the south-eastern provinces of Masvingo and Manicaland.

“We are engaging the vendors, like last week we engaged both vendors and their representatives, we also put notices inviting vendors to be registered so that they become formal and we will not tolerate illegal vendors as they are behind the widespread cholera,” council spokesperson Stanley Gama told NewsDay Business.

There has been an increase in the selling of food in the CBD which health experts deem inappropriate for human consumption.

This also comes as some sales are being done next to toilets, in busy traffic while exposed to fumes from vehicles.

Resultantly, there are also several hazards associated with this sector of the economy.

Evidence abound that food sold on the roadside risk contamination from either spoilage or pathogenic micro-organisms.

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Food vendors are generally uninformed of good food hygiene practices.

In some communities ready-to-eat food is served with bare hands, increasing the risk of food contamination.

Public health specialist Johannes Marisa said failure to stop food vendors would ignite a cholera catastrophe sooner rather than later.

“It is my worry that if vendors are not stopped at this juncture, we are going to have a cholera catastrophe sooner than later. We are already in trouble, we are in the middle of a serious outbreak and it is undeniable that vendors are also fuelling the spread of cholera,” Marisa said.

“Cholera is a water-borne disease, which is spreading through contaminated water and food, accompanied by poor sanitation and in town, people are buying food from vendors that cook in open spaces without taking consideration of the availability of clean water, proper food handling and sanitation.”

He said public health issues overrode political, social and economic matters.

“We don't want to lose lives, so it is high time these people stopped this now and to a point where we are free of cholera,” Marisa added.

Poor drainage systems and burst pipes had created pools of water across the city and the water is used to wash dishes, cooking utensils and even vegetables and fruits.

However, the mushrooming of vendors on the streets in cities across the country is not expected to end any time soon as this has become a source of livelihoods for many families.

In its November 2023 food security report, the United States Agency for International Development reported that lack of access to clean water and good sanitation continued to drive the national cholera outbreak.

It stated that more than 9 000 suspected cases and 160 suspected cholera deaths have been recorded since February with cases being reported in 46 districts in all 10 provinces.

Last month, the government declared a state of emergency in Harare as cholera cases have spiked and activated the Civil Protection Act.