HARARE - The police (both municipal and ZRP) are at it again as they are harassing street vendors and confiscating their goods.
Vendors who operate at Fourth Street, Eastgate and Market Square had a
tough time last week as they were chased around by the police who
accused them of doing business at undesignated points. Some of the
vendors who were interviewed by CHRA on condition of anonymity said
that the police had been confiscating their goods and they were not
even given the chance to pay the required fine so that they could get
their goods back. Moreover, the vendors complained that they had
nowhere else to do their business as most market stalls had been
destroyed by operation Murambatsvina. CHRA also received reports from
Kuwadzana where vendors are having their goods confiscated by some
policemen who are camped near Kuwadzana 2 High School. Residents have
pointed out that the policemen actually share the looted goods amongst
themselves. Other affected areas include Kuwadzana Extension, Highfield
and Glen Norah. CHRA unreservedly condemn the unfair harassment of
vendors and urges Council to consider the construction of more market
stalls as a matter of urgency as most residents rely on vending for
their livelihood.
Water supply
Glenview and Budiriro are still being affected by acute water
shortages. Some of the boreholes that were sunk by UNICEF in the
suburbs are no longer functional and residents are finding it difficult
to cope as some have resorted back to unprotected sources for water.
Residents have warned that if this situation continues, the cholera
cases will continue to increase and it will be difficult to contain the
situation. Other affected areas include Highlands (Ward 8) where
residents had no water supplies for the better of last week. Kambuzuma
and parts of Rugare went for two days (from Tuesday to Wednesday)
without water while the Paradise area in Highfield and parts of Glen
Norah have undergoing a dry spell for more than six months now. Areas
like Msasa Park, Queensdale and parts of Hatfield lapsed into dry
spells again for the whole of last week.
Electricity supply
Tynwald North and Dzivarasekwa Phase Three experienced excessive power
cuts within the last week. Residents received power for not more than
twenty hours during the whole week. Kuwadzana Extension also
experienced the same problem which has been exacerbated by the fact
that police were harassing firewood vendors and confiscating their
merchandise; a situation that left most residents with no alternative
source of power for household use. However, residents in areas like
Highlands, Mabelreign, Marlborough, Avondale, and Emerald Hill, Masasa,
Greendale and most parts of Dzivarasekwa have reported that power
supplies are beginning to normalize in their areas. Hatfield,
Queensdale, Braeside, Craneborne and Msasa Park are still experiencing
intermittent power cuts.
Breadbasket
Some supermarkets like Town and Country are selling bread for US$0, 60
while others are selling for US$0, 50. Most shops, however, are still
selling a loaf of bread for US$1 each.
Health
Cholera cases are still being reported in Harare in spite of the
efforts that have been put by different NGOs to combat the pandemic.
Mufakose witnessed two deaths to cholera within the last week and more
than four people were admitted at the local clinic with symptoms of
cholera. Ward 45 also report two cholera deaths. Glenview and Budiriro
are still battling with cholera cases although the number of deaths has
decreased.
Residents in Highfields have complained that the Aqua tablets that were
distributed at clinics by UNICEF are not being fairly re-distributed to
residents. There are reports that the nurses are distributing the
tablets to their relatives in bulk who in turn sell the tablets to
residents. In another development, nurses at Highfield Poly Clinic are
refusing to admit maternity patients unless they bring gloves, needles,
razor, sanitary wool, candle and 20 litres of clean water for use
during delivery. Reports from Mbare have also revealed that some
midwives at Mbare Edith Hospital are demanding US$10 from maternity
patients if they want to be delivered safely'.Â
Refuse collection
Most suburbs are still littered with piles of refuse as the City of
Harare has not been collecting refuse. UNICEF was collecting refuse in
areas like Glenview, Glen Norah and Budiriro but piles of refuse have
begun to emerge in some areas as UNICEF has not repeated the programme
for some time now. Residents in Kuwadzana 2 are also not happy with the
amount of garbage that is piled at Areno shops; a situation that they
fear will jeopardize the health of residents. There are vendors who
sell their goods at an open space at the shopping centre and the
environment is not healthy due to the uncollected refuse. There have
also been increased cases of malaria in the area (especially in Ward 38
and 37) and residents believe that this is being caused by the piles of
refuse that have become fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Residents in Kuwadzana Extension are now dumping refuse near Kuwadzana
Extension Primary school.
Political atmosphere
Residents look forward to a nationalistic rather than partisan
transitional government that will effectively address the economic,
political and social maladies that are currently bedeviling the country
as a whole. CHRA urges the inclusive government to address the issue of
human rights violations so as to ensure the safety of political
activists. It is worrying to receive reports of abductions of political
activists at a time when the principal political parties have publicly
agreed to work together. Such happenings raise questions of sincerity
and good faith. CHRA will continue to support residents in their quest
for good local (and national) governance, respect for human rights and
quality municipal (and other) service delivery.