In a welcome development aimed at assisting Mbare market traders who lost their livelihoods in a devastating fire, His Excellency President Mnangagwa has declared the incident a state of disaster.
The fire, which broke out on October 8, 2024, destroyed significant parts of the Mbare Traders Market, affecting 4,000 traders. Many were left with nothing as the inferno engulfed their stalls, leaving them counting their losses.
The state of disaster was declared in accordance with Section 27(1) of the Civil Protection Act {Chapter 10:06}, which empowers the President to act in the event of such calamities. This declaration enables government agencies and private sector players to mobilize resources and provide assistance to the affected traders.
In response, the Government has begun to gather resources, both in cash and kind, to support those impacted by the fire. Efforts are currently underway to rebuild the market stalls through a collaborative effort involving the private sector and other stakeholders, with the goal of helping traders revive their businesses.
This intervention is set to provide much-needed relief and support to the traders, offering them a lifeline as they work to recover from the disaster.
The intervention by the government, private sector and other stakeholders is indeed a welcome move which will help the traders to restock. The Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa is a people centered government. Thank you your Excellency for coming to the rescue of the Mbare traders.