In the busy streets of Blantyre, the commercial capital of Malawi, thousands of informal traders hustle daily to make ends meet. These men and women, especially women, are the face of local entrepreneurship—selling everything from bananas and tomatoes to used clothes and mobile accessories. Yet, despite their huge contribution to the local economy, they are treated like criminals.
Most of these traders are not in formal employment. They rely on small, daily sales to feed their families, pay school fees, rent, and even settle debts. For them, trading is not just a job—it’s a matter of survival.
Malawi’s economy heavily depends on this informal sector. In fact, more than 80% of the population relies on it in one way or another. But the system continues to fail them. Outdated colonial laws, especially those created to target so-called “vagrants,” are still being used today. These laws and local by-laws restrict where traders can sell and force them into crowded, expensive markets they cannot afford.
Those who can’t pay for a stall or find space in the official marketplaces are forced to operate on the streets. Here, they are constantly at risk of being chased, arrested, fined or even having their goods seized by city council officials or police. Once taken, these goods are rarely returned. For traders who bought their items on credit, the impact is devastating. Their entire livelihood vanishes in a moment.
The fines are harsh—many times more than what a trader earns in a week. As a result, families suffer. Children are pulled out of school. Food is reduced to one meal a day. Some even end up homeless. These crackdowns hit women the hardest.
Female traders are regularly exposed to physical assault, sexual abuse and in some cases, rape. Some report being asked for sexual favours by officers in exchange for not being arrested or to have their seized goods returned. Most do not report these crimes out of fear. The same people who abuse them are the ones they are supposed to report to.
Many of the traders do not know their rights. Even those who do, find it almost impossible to get justice. They are often turned away or humiliated at police stations. Some are even locked up again just for speaking up.
A female trader, who asked not to be named, said: “I was selling mangoes when the rangers came. They kicked over my basket and took my goods. When I begged them, one of them told me to follow him behind the building. I knew what he meant. I ran away. That was all the mangoes I had for the week.”
These traders are asking for very little. They want legal street vending zones, affordable stalls, and protection—not punishment. They want their voices to be heard and respected, not silenced and abused.
Experts say real change must start with proper legal education and economic support. The government must reform the outdated laws, provide better infrastructure and hold law enforcement officers accountable. Only then can informal traders move from just surviving to actually building better futures.
Some civil society groups in Malawi are also stepping in, offering legal clinics and forming trader associations. These efforts, though small, are giving some traders hope.
The road ahead is not easy. But with the right reforms and support, these hard-working traders—many of whom are women trying to raise families—can finally be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
