Zimbabwe tells illegal vendors to quit Harare streets, may use army to clear them

Locals walk past street vendors selling vegetables in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 25, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has given illegal vendors and pirate taxis 48 hours to leave Harare's streets, failing which it will forcibly remove them with the military's help, a cabinet minister said, as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks to restore order in cities.

Once prided as the "sunshine city" of the southern African nation, Harare is home to thousands of hawkers who sell everything from fruits, roasted food and clothes on pavements, which authorities say causes a health hazard.