The estimated 8,000 vendors who ply their business along the streets of the Central Business District can now go about their activities without hassles from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the municipal law enforcement agents.
Illegitimate
This followed a spirited lobby by vendors’ associations. “Our lobby for a hassle-free vendors’ operating environment has borne fruit. We agreed that for peace to prevail, all vendors should be registered and go about their business without soiling the city,” said Douglas Shumbayaonda, vice chairperson of the National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NVUZ).
He said that though the situation was relatively quiet, more work was yet to be done as the vendors’ registration process by the council left a lot to be desired. According to Shumbayaonda, half the vendors were deliberately left out of the process in order to perpetuate their illegitimate status and expose them to corrupt police officers.
Corrupt cops routinely instil fear in some of the unregistered vendors and fleece them of their meagre earnings. He said the otherwise noble registration arrangement had been hijacked by corrupt council insiders.
“The thousands of vendors on the streets are a reflection of the country’s economic collapse,” said Shumbayaonda, who estimates that there are over 17,000 vendors in the Harare CBD and around its residential suburbs. NVUZ is making inroads into other towns around the country.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the municipal police and ZRP are targeting cell phone vendors in search of bribes, while turning a blind eye to the traditional vegetable, airtime and second hand clothing sellers.
Fragile peace
“Since most phone vendors run their business from vehicles, corrupt police would gain entrance into the cars and demand bribes,” said vendor privy to the corrupt practice, which is prevalent along Robert Mugabe Road.
Simbarashe Moyo, chairperson of the Combined Harare Residents Association, said council and police had not shifted their position regarding the treatment given vendors. “The relative peace being enjoyed by the vendors could be attributed to calls made by Grace Mugabe for police to spare the poor vendors. Remember these police heed instructions given by Zanu (PF),” Moyo said, warning that the current peace remained fragile.
Despite numerous efforts, no official comment could be obtained from Harare City Council.
Wellington Zindove, Youth Forum National Coordinator, described the current peace as fragile and unsustainable. “We want a proper legislation through Parliament and an amendment to relevant local authority by-laws regarding vendors,” said Zindove, warning residents not to find comfort in verbal guarantees.
Sources at the council said political pressure had influenced the way in which the police dealt with vendors. “All the same council would want to register all vendors, allocate them designated selling points and raise revenue through licensing,” said a council insider on condition of anonymity.
Monica Nemaungwe, a vegetable vendor from Domboshava who sells her produce along Rezende Street, confirmed that for the three weeks they have not been subjected to any forms of police harassment.
“Though we were denied the opportunity to register as vendors by council, since Grace started her ‘meet the people rallies’ we have been spared the police harassment,” she said.
Post published in: Business