In a show of solidarity and responsibility towards a clean environment, vendors in Harare on Wednesday engaged in a clean-up campaign in the central business district.
The clean-up campaign was addressed by the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe chairperson Stendrick Zvorwadza after Goromonzi West MP Beatrice Nyamupinga and the Deputy Mayor of Harare failed to show up.
Zvorwadza accused council officials of delaying the process of legalizing vending saying they were benefiting from the poor vendors.
“I therefore call upon council officials to stop looting and demanding bribes from our vendors as we are also trying to earn a decent living.
“Vendors are the biggest employers in this struggling economy, they are also promoting the Zimbabwe Socio for Economic Transformation (ZimAsset) by selling locally manufactured and produced goods, so why is the city council against it,” quizzed Zvorwadza.
In a telephone conversation with the Zimbabwe Sentinel, Nyamupinga encouraged vendors to continue working for their families.
“I encourage vendors to continue working for their families, I wanted to join you but due to some other national duties I have failed but definitely when you invite me next time I will come,” said Nyamupinga.
Hon Nyamupinga raised the motion in during debate parliament on how street vendors’ were being treated by council official hence advocating for the bill, which protects the rights of vendors.
Stella Chiweshe, a vendor at the Copa-cabana rank complained of ill-treatment at the hands of municipal police saying some of them were even demanding sex in exchange for vending reprieve.
“Some of these municipal officers demand sex from us and if you refuse you become their target,” said Chiweshe.
She added that most of the municipal police had invented informal language to demand bribes with ‘Budiriro 3’ meaning $3 while ‘Budiriro 5’ means $5.
Other vendors expressed concern over their removal from vending sites and forced inside the bus termini where they feel unsafe from kombi operators.
The clean-up campaign was running under the theme “Vending Is My Life” ended on a high note with the organizers promising to continue holding more campaigns to ensure the city to remain tidy and clean.
