Epworth Local Board Rolls Out Ambitious BOT Scheme to Modernize Markets and Elevate Town Status

Kudzai Jakachira

Epworth –In a major move to transform its economic landscape, the
Epworth Local Board has launched an ambitious empowerment initiative
targeted at small to medium enterprises.

Running under a Build-Operate-Transfer framework, the milestone
programme gives local traders a unique opportunity to build standard
commercial shops which they will operate rent-free for a predetermined
period to recoup their construction costs before transferring
ownership back to the local authority.

This strategy directly addresses the chaotic setup of informal markets
while actively solving long-standing issues with sanitation,
littering, and disorganized street vending that have troubled the area
for years.

Local leaders believe providing permanent, well-built structures is
the only lasting way to clean up the environment, protect public
health, and offer local businesses a dignified, modern working
environment.

For decades, Epworth has been viewed largely as a dormitory settlement
for neighboring Harare, where the lack of formal business
infrastructure has forced thousands of entrepreneurs to operate from
makeshift, temporary stalls.

This new framework aims to change that reality, driving structural
and economic growth. Confirming these details, Epworth Local Board
Town Secretary Dr. Wilton Mhanda said, “This is a huge achievement in
infrastructural development as the once dormitory settlement seeks to
attain a town status.

He elaborated that under the specific terms of the program, the local
council will step in once an entrepreneur finishes building a retail
shop.

Professional Evaluators from the Munistry of Lical Gorvernment and Public Works ,will assess the property to determine its total
market value, which will then be used to decide exactly how long the
developer can operate the shop rent-free to recover their costs. Once
that timeframe ends, ownership of the building transfers to the
Epworth Local Board, and the trader begins paying standard rent to the
authority to stay in the shop.

The program also tackles the environmental and sanitation crises
currently plaguing the local informal sector.

Ward 5 Councillor Chamunorwa Takundwa strongly supported the
initiative, openly acknowledging the severe problems currently facing
local marketplaces. Explaining the situation on the ground, Councillor
Takunda said, “There was too much chaos, as many market traders were
failing to meet hygiene standards because most of the places were now
over littered, but this is a development which many will be amused
with.”

For the small business owners of Epworth, this project is more than an
infrastructure upgrade; it offers a path to safer and more sustainable
businesses.

Operating out of permanent, modern shops shields traders from harsh
weather, secures their inventory, and attracts customers who prefer a
clean shopping environment.

By involving the entrepreneurs directly in the construction phase,
the Epworth Local Board ensures that the local community has a
personal stake in the area’s development.

This cooperative approach allows the council to upgrade its
infrastructure despite tight budgets, while giving small business
owners a rare chance to become formal commercial developers.

As construction begins on the first phase of these retail shops, the
atmosphere in Epworth is turning from frustration to anticipation. If
successful, this program could serve as a model for other local
authorities across Zimbabwe who are trying to organize their informal
sectors and upgrade their communities.