In a statement, MDC-T secretary for information, Obert Gutu, said Nyoni was part of a system, Zanu (PF), that “survives on chaos, intimidation and violence”
Nyoni recently revealed that the municipality was amassing at least $36,000 a day from vendors but rapped the council for failing to mend its infrastructure.
“In fact, the amount that vendors are paying every day runs into thousands of dollars, way more than $100, 000 daily. However, the money that is paid by Harare vendors does not find its way into the official coffers of the city council.
“Virtually all the money that is paid by vendors on a daily basis is diverted to personal coffers of Zanu (PF) warlords. This is an indisputable fact,” said Gutu.
He added: “Much as the city authorities try to restore a semblance of order and cleanliness on the streets of the capital city, Zanu (PF) warlords are in the notorious habit of taking over the money paid by vendors in a scam that has made Harare operate like a fiefdom of a few politically well – connected Zanu (PF) chefs and some other such regime apologists. These Zanu (PF operatives have privatised the income that should be channelled to the official coffers of the municipality.
“ It is, thus, insincere and misleading for Sithembiso Nyoni to blame the city council authorities for failing to rehabilitate the infrastructure that is used by vendors in Harare. Sthembiso Nyoni is fully aware of the chaos and mayhem that is perpetrated by the Zanu PF warlords in Harare.”
He said Nyoni must not be allowed to shed crocodile tears over the Harare municipality’s poor service delivery and, instead of being part of the solution, she “is actually fast becoming part of the problem (and) she has to be brought to order.”
He said MDC had consistently protected the rights of vendors not only in Harare but throughout the country.
More than 85 percent of the residents of Harare survive within the informal sector and it is unfair for Zanu (PF) warlords to intimidate vendors and literally force them to pay their dues directly to them instead of remitting payment to the official city authorities, said Gutu.
He said vendors were being terrorised by the Zanu (PF) militias at Mbare Musika, Mupedzanhamo market as well as at all city commuter omnibus termini.
“An MDC government will be able to stimulate both domestic and foreign investment that will ensure the re – opening and expansion of all the closed industries in Harare, Bulawayo and all the other major urban centres in Zimbabwe.
“The vending problem in Harare and other urban centres will only get worse as the insensitive and renegade Zanu (PF) regime plans to carry out a massive and unprecedented retrenchment of thousands of civil servants within the coming months,” said Gutu.
He accused the Zanu (PF) government of totally failing to deliver on any of the numerous election promises that they made prior to the July 31,2013 elections that he said were rigged by the ruling party.
“Both Robert Mugabe and the Zanu (PF) regime that he leads are no longer fit for purpose. They are now an albatross around the necks of millions of the suffering and toiling masses of unemployed Zimbabweans,” said Gutu.
Post published in: News