Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation VISET

04/06/2026

We were recently in Kariba for the latest edition of our International Cross-Border Trade Campaign, in partnership with Amnesty International Zimbabwe .

In welcome remarks, Samuel Wadzai Mangoma said the campaign is a culmination of a research conducted at Beitbridge, Plumtree, Mutare, and Chirundu, and seeks to build capacities of women cross border traders to confront the challenges they face in the conduct of their business, as well as building up to the setting up of a regional solidarity centre that will be better equipped to advocate for better working conditions.

Women cross-border traders spoke on the challenges they face in the conduct of their business that includes lack of access to customs tariffs, others appealed for greater availability of information in vernacular languages, and the use of mediums such as community radio stations.

Edward Kapodogo urged women traders to dicument instances of violation such as harassment, s*xtortion, and bribe-seeking by enforcement agencies in order to bring perpetrators to book. Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Dev. Southern Africa Trust Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing - WIEGO Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe Amnesty Zim Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Accountability Lab Zimbabwe UK in Zimbabwe Oxfam in Southern Africa

04/06/2026

*Female vendors in Gweru now offering s*x to municipal police in exchange for vending space on restricted areas*

Women working in Gweru’s informal sector are reportedly being coerced into having s*x with men in authority in exchange for favours such as vending space, permission to trade from undesignated areas, and the right to sell restricted goods.

The revelations have prompted human rights defenders to call for s*xtortion to be explicitly criminalised under both anti-corruption and gender-based violence laws, amid growing concern about widespread s*xual exploitation of women in Zimbabwe’s informal economy.

Gender and inclusion specialist Thando Gwinji said women now make up more than two-thirds of Zimbabwe’s street vendors, yet they remain on the margins of economic power.

She was presenting findings at the Informal Sector Women’s Symposium on Gender Justice and Policy Positioning, organised by the Vendor Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) in Gweru recently.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/J85JytO9A3sEVoVeI8WtdX.

Gwinji described vending spaces as “battlefields” marked by police raids, confiscation of goods, extortion, theft and s*xual harassment.

She said s*xtortion had become one of the most serious forms of abuse affecting women in the informal economy.

According to the study, some women are allegedly being forced to provide s*xual favours in return for protection from arrest, the recovery of confiscated goods, or access to vending spaces.

“Women reported s*x being demanded in exchange for avoiding arrest, recovering goods and accessing vending spaces,” said Gwinji. Gweru Residents & Ratepayers Association Samuel Wadzai Mangoma Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Dev. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe Amnesty International Zimbabwe UK in Zimbabwe Accountability Lab Zimbabwe Southern Africa Trust Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing - WIEGO Fundación Avina Community Radio Harare TellZimbabwe Economic Justice for Women Project Edward Kapodogo The SUN Newspaper

*Midweek Watch*

03/06/2026

https://visetonline.org/viset-statement-welcoming-the-national-financial-inclusion-strategy-iii-2027-2031-consultations/. VISET Statement Welcoming the National Financial Inclusion Strategy III (2027–2031) Consultations

The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) warmly welcomes the launch of consultations for Zimbabwe's National Financial Inclusion Strategy III (NFIS III) (2027–2031) by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion. As an organization representing informal economy workers, vendors, traders, and micro-enterprises across Zimbabwe, VISET recognizes financial inclusion as a critical pillar for sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, enterprise development, and social transformation.

We are encouraged by the strategic shift from merely measuring access and usage of financial services to assessing their actual impact on livelihoods, business productivity, income generation, and economic resilience. This approach aligns with the realities faced by millions of informal economy workers and small businesses that require affordable, accessible, and responsive financial services to grow and contribute meaningfully to national development.

VISET particularly welcomes the focus on addressing key barriers that continue to exclude many vendors and informal traders from the formal financial system, including:

 High transaction and banking costs that discourage low-income entrepreneurs from using formal financial services.
 Persistent digital divides affecting rural communities, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.
 The need for stronger consumer protection mechanisms to safeguard vulnerable citizens from predatory and unregulated digital lending practices.
 Enhanced financial literacy and digital skills development to enable informed participation in the evolving financial ecosystem.

Women constitute a significant proportion of Zimbabwe's informal economy and continue to face structural barriers in accessing finance, including limited collateral, lower asset ownership, and unequal economic opportunities. We therefore strongly support the inclusion of targeted measures that promote women's financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.

VISET also calls for the NFIS III process to fully recognize and respond to the realities of informal economy workers, who account for the majority of Zimbabwe's workforce. Financial products and services must be designed to meet the needs of micro and small enterprises, including flexible savings products, affordable credit, micro-insurance, digital payment solutions, and business development support.

We commend the RBZ and its partners for adopting a participatory consultation framework and encourage broad stakeholder engagement throughout the strategy development process. The voices of vendors, market traders, women entrepreneurs, youth-led enterprises, savings groups, consumer organizations, and community-based structures must be meaningfully incorporated into the final strategy. VISET stands ready to actively participate in the consultation process and contribute evidence-based recommendations that advance inclusive, equitable, and transformative financial inclusion for all Zimbabweans.

Together, we can build a financial system that not only expands access but also creates tangible improvements in livelihoods, enterprise growth, and shared prosperity.

Issued by:
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)

Press Room June 3, 2026 The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) warmly welcomes the launch of consultations for Zimbabwe’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy III (NFIS III) (2027–2031) by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and the Ministry of Finance, Economic De...

01/06/2026

VISET joined the Settlement Climate Forum at Crowborough Federation Site Office, hosted under the Informal Settlements Climate Change Action by the Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation and Dialogue on Shelter.The forum brought together community representatives, CBOs, informal workers, and urban stakeholders to confront one urgent question~

How do we build climate justice in informal settlements and how do we do it together?

VISET brought the lived experience of women informal traders, waste workers, and caregivers who face climate shocks daily. Floods destroy stock. Extreme heat cuts trading hours. Lack of tenure means no investment in drainage or shelter. Care burdens multiply.

The forum is not just a conversation it is laying the foundation for an Informal Settlements Climate Reform Coalition and a shared Settlement Climate Justice Position , one that demands:
* Secure, serviced trading and recycling spaces
* Care infrastructure as climate adaptation
* Community-led roads, drainage, and waste management
* Real partnership between informal workers and local government

We are proud to stand with other organisations and communities building power from the ground up. Fundación Avina Oxfam in Southern Africa UK in Zimbabwe Accountability Lab Zimbabwe Southern Africa Trust Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Dev. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Samuel Wadzai Mangoma Kurima Portia Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe TellZimbabwe Community Radio Harare Economic Justice for Women Project Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations - ZCIEA Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing - WIEGO

25/05/2026

VISET Statement on Africa Day 2026

25 May 2026

The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) joins millions of Africans across the continent and in the diaspora in commemorating Africa Day 2026. This day reminds us of the enduring vision of a united, prosperous, peaceful, and people-centred Africa founded on justice, solidarity, dignity, and inclusive development.

As we celebrate the achievements and resilience of African people, we must also confront the persistent socio-economic challenges facing millions of workers in the informal economy who continue to sustain families, communities, and national economies under difficult conditions. Informal traders, vendors, cross-border traders, waste pickers, transport operators, artisans, and other workers in the informal economy remain central to Africa’s economic transformation, employment creation, food security, and poverty reduction.

Across Zimbabwe and the African continent, the informal economy continues to absorb the majority of workers, especially women and young people. Yet many informal workers still face exclusion from social protection systems, limited access to finance and markets, insecure trading spaces, policy inconsistency, harassment, and inadequate participation in decision-making processes.

Africa Day should therefore serve not only as a celebration of our shared identity and liberation history, but also as a renewed call for governments, regional institutions, development partners, and the private sector to place people at the centre of economic transformation. Sustainable development cannot be achieved while the majority of workers remain vulnerable and excluded.

VISET calls for:

Inclusive economic policies that recognise and protect the contribution of informal economy workers;

Greater investment in decent work opportunities, entrepreneurship, and skills development for youth and women;

Expansion of social protection systems to cover informal workers;

Constructive social dialogue between governments, local authorities, and informal economy organisations;

Safe, accessible, and dignified trading and working spaces for vendors and traders;

Regional cooperation that supports fair and people-centred trade across Africa.

As Africa advances the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), there is an urgent need to ensure that integration processes benefit ordinary citizens, including small-scale traders and informal workers who form the backbone of local economies. Economic integration must translate into improved livelihoods, reduced inequalities, and expanded opportunities for grassroots communities.

VISET remains committed to advancing social and economic justice, promoting inclusive policies, strengthening the voice and agency of informal economy workers, and contributing towards a transformed Africa where no one is left behind.

On this Africa Day, we reaffirm our solidarity with all workers, social movements, and progressive forces across the continent working towards a democratic, equitable, and prosperous Africa.

Happy Africa Day!

Issued by:
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)

15/05/2026

We remain committed to uplifting livelihoods of women cross-border traders in order to bring dignity to their trade. The Formalisation Strategy as adopted by the government is a critical window for policy reform that we will ensure achieves much needed recognition of the sector as an economic driver. Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Dev. Oxfam in Southern Africa Southern Africa Trust Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Samuel Wadzai Mangoma Zimbabwe Revenue Authority - ZIMRA Accountability Lab Zimbabwe Amnesty Zim Kurima Portia UK in Zimbabwe Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe

12/05/2026

Today we were in Chirundu for the launch of the International Cross-Border Trade Research that was conducted in 2022-2023 in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, in partnershipwith Amnesty International Zimbabwe. Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation VISET Executive Director Samuel Wadzai urges female traders to acquaint themselves with all laws that govern their trade in order not to incur losses through confiscation. Wadzai expressed the hope that the recently cabinet approved Formalisation Strategy would ease the cost of business for cross-border traders, as well as ensuring that the dignity of women cross-border traders is upheld at border posts, along with provision of child-care infrastructure and appropriate gender-responsive amenities. The report highlighted the limited knowledge of cross-border traders on regional trade protocols that protect women, and applicable tariffs, largely owing to the technical language that traders are not familiar with. There is a need for Zimbabwe Revenue Authority - ZIMRA to unpack this information in all indigenous languages. Edward Kapodogo Oxfam in Southern Africa Southern Africa Trust UK in Zimbabwe Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing - WIEGO Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Dev.

12/05/2026

https://visetonline.org/viset-congratulates-the-city-of-masvingo-for-establishing-the-stakeholder-budget-committee/. The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) warmly congratulates the City of Masvingo for establishing the Stakeholder Budget Committee (SBC), a progressive and commendable step towards strengthening participatory governance, transparency, and accountability in local public finance management.

The formation of the SBC demonstrates the City’s commitment to ensuring that residents and key stakeholders have a meaningful voice in decisions concerning the allocation and management of public resources. Inclusive budgeting processes are essential in building responsive local authorities that reflect the priorities and aspirations of communities, including informal economy workers, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and small business operators.

VISET particularly applauds the inclusion of diverse stakeholders drawn from residents’ associations, business organisations, women’s groups, youth representatives, financial institutions, religious organisations, and special interest groups. Such diversity is critical in promoting equitable and people-centred development.

We also commend the City of Masvingo and its partners for investing in capacity building through the ongoing stakeholder training workshop. Empowering committee members with knowledge on public financial management, governance systems, stakeholder engagement, and budget monitoring will strengthen the effectiveness of the SBC and enhance public confidence in council processes.

As an organisation working to advance social and economic justice for informal economy workers, VISET strongly believes that participatory budgeting is a cornerstone of democratic local governance. It creates opportunities for communities to influence development priorities, improve service delivery, and promote accountability in the utilisation of public funds.

We encourage the City of Masvingo to continue institutionalising citizen participation beyond the budgeting process and to ensure that stakeholder engagement remains consistent, transparent, and accessible to all sectors of society, particularly marginalised and vulnerable groups.

VISET remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote inclusive governance, citizen participation, and sustainable local economic development across Zimbabwe.

Issued by:
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)

04/05/2026

Govt losing war against defiant Harare vendors–https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/news/article/200054848/govt-losing-war-against-defiant-harare-vendors. Samuel Wadzai, executive director of the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), argued that the persistence of street trading is a symptom of a much deeper structural malaise.

“The failure by vendors to vacate the streets—even in the face of ultimatums such as the one issued by Daniel Garwe—is rooted primarily in economic necessity,” Wadzai said. UK in Zimbabwe Accountability Lab Zimbabwe Southern Africa Trust Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe Amnesty International Zimbabwe Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Govt losing war against defiant Harare vendors

03/05/2026

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY STATEMENT

Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)

3 May 2026

Defending Press Freedom as a Pillar for Democracy, Accountability and Inclusive Development

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) joins the global community in commemorating the indispensable role of a free, independent and pluralistic media in advancing democracy, transparency, accountability and social justice.

This year’s commemoration comes at a time when journalists, media practitioners, human rights defenders and citizens across the world continue to face growing threats to freedom of expression, access to information and civic participation. Press freedom remains a cornerstone of democratic societies and an essential safeguard for vulnerable and marginalized communities whose voices are often excluded from mainstream policy and development processes.

As an organization representing and advocating for informal economy workers, vendors, cross-border traders and marginalized communities, VISET recognizes the critical role played by the media in amplifying the lived realities of informal workers, exposing injustices, promoting accountability and shaping inclusive national dialogue.

The informal economy constitutes a significant component of Zimbabwe’s economy and sustains millions of livelihoods. However, the sector continues to face numerous challenges including harassment, forced evictions, confiscation of goods, policy exclusion and limited social protection. In this context, a free and independent media becomes essential in documenting these experiences and ensuring that the voices of informal workers are heard at local, national and international levels.

VISET therefore calls for:

- The protection and promotion of press freedom and freedom of expression as guaranteed under the Constitution of Zimbabwe and international human rights instruments;
- An enabling environment for journalists and media practitioners to carry out their work without intimidation, harassment, censorship or arbitrary arrest;
- Increased access to information and transparency in governance processes affecting citizens and informal economy workers;
- Responsible, ethical and people-centered journalism that prioritizes truth, inclusivity and public interest reporting;
- Greater media attention to socio-economic justice issues affecting vulnerable communities, including vendors, women traders, youth and persons with disabilities.

VISET further emphasizes that media freedom and socio-economic rights are interconnected. Sustainable development, democratic governance and social transformation cannot be achieved where citizens are denied access to credible information or where journalists operate under fear and repression.

As we commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2026, VISET reaffirms its commitment to defending democratic freedoms, strengthening civic participation and advocating for inclusive socio-economic policies that leave no one behind.

We stand in solidarity with journalists, media workers and all defenders of freedom of expression across Zimbabwe, Africa and the world.

For more information contact:
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)

END