Newspaper vendors commended

Nonetheless, on Tuesday in Zimbabwe it was different with the United States of America recognising the sterling work that vendors perform providing newspapers to the people.

The US ambassador Charles Ray saluted the vendors for their hard work and resilience even in the face of mounting challenges.

I would like to start by unequivocally stating that I admire all of you tremendously. Zimbabwes newspaper vendors work outside in rough weather and on dangerous streets. You are often the first targets of political violence or demonstrations. Many times in the last few years, you have had your products taken or destroyed, and some of you have been chased or attacked for selling independent newspapers, said Ray.

In the past months newspaper vendors have come under siege as Zanu (PF) activists have targeted them, destroying stories in opposition to that particular party and in the process destroying the livelihoods of vendors.

Although some people have relented, most of the vendors have remained resilient, employing different tactics to avoid the paranoid and violent Zanu (PF) activists.

While I face strong and sometimes brutal verbal attacks in my line of work, I have not gone through that. So, this is our chance to say Thank you to you hard-working and brave people. You are an integral part of information freedom because you facilitate our access to the printed media, said the US ambassador.

Newspaper vendors often face difficulties going through their work; they have been victims. The vendors should be encouraged to join the social media and also to participate as citizen journalists, said Earnest Mudzengi, Director of Media Centre.

We must be protected from the attacks by political activists and we are concerned that the police are not making a stand. Our lives are dependent on the newspapers and when people attack us they are denying us our livelihoods, said Trust Muchineyi, a vendor from Mbare.