Harare – A man from Zengeza, Chitungwiza has been detained after he was recorded cooking sadza in the middle of Harare’s central business district (CBD), a video that quickly went viral and sparked widespread debate. The Mayor of Harare responded, calling for stricter rules on night trading to curb such acts.
Obert Masaraure, president of the Amalgamated Rural and Urban Traders Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), condemned the arrest, framing it as a broader socioeconomic issue. Masaraure said in a statement on 08 March 2026:
“We demand the immediate release of the Zengeza vendor, whose arrest for selling sadza in the CBD is a brutal manifestation of state-sanctioned class warfare. The criminalization of vending is a direct assault on the survival strategies of the urban poor. Working for survival is not a crime; it is an act of resistance against systemic poverty.”
The ARTUZ statement highlighted Zimbabwe’s formal economy collapse, the erosion of social protections, and the state’s failure to provide basic needs, citing constitutional guarantees including Sections 14, 30, 76, 77, and 81. International frameworks like the ICESCR and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights were also invoked.
Citizens took to social media, questioning the priorities of authorities. One wrote:
“Now that he has been tracked and detained, makufambika here mu town? Ma pothole agadzirika here? Has the economy improved?”
Philanthropist Olinda Chapel has since pledges and invited fellow well wishers to donate so that the man can establish a formal business. She said:
Who ever triggered this may you never find peace. This is cruel and wrong on all humanitarian basis. But at the same time wakika datya kuti riyambuke.
Anyone who knows this man. Tell him kuti hanzi na Mai Dziva I want to give you $1K USD cash for the loss of your earnings. I will also ask my Mbinga friends to pledge $1K each. I know for a fact he will easily walk away with 10K.
Ashford Ashbragger Chimombe ita gofundme ndiise 1K yangu
Moreboys Munetsi, the founder of Great Hope Funeral Services also offered support. He said:
“Mazuvano kwakanyarara but I can put US200.
Where can I send my $200
I am sure we can do go fund”
Analysts argue the man’s actions reflect survival in a country facing high unemployment, hyperinflation, and informal sector precarity. Arresting individuals for vending is unlikely to address Zimbabwe’s deep-rooted economic challenges, but instead risks inflaming public frustration.
The informal sector, or “hustling,” has been on the rise since the turn of the millennium, making up a huge part of the economy. Authorities, however, argue it’s a soft spot for revenue leakage, since it’s hard to tax.
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