摘要：The thrust of the paper was to examine the threats exposed to street vending as a livelihood for the urban inhabitants in Zimbabwe.The aspect under review was very topical in Zimbabwe’s urban, and hence recent literature was prominently scrutinised. Both the state and independent newspapers were among the sources of literature. High unemployment levels in Zimbabwe, economic recession, job retrenchments and need to fulfil basic requirements were among the major drivers for street vending. However, some people opt for street vending as a route to enterprising and business to earn a living. Content analysis of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Urban Councils Act and the Economic Empowerment Act helped understand street vending in Zimbabwe. Street vending was exposed to threats like harassment and attack from municipal and state police, confiscation and loss of wares, politicisation of vending operations and lack of legal protection. The paper acknowledges the complex nature of street vending. Therefore, strong collaboration is needed between the street vendors and the local authorities to reach to mutual understanding in order to reduce the friction between them.
