THE ongoing crackdown against perceived opposition activists following recent riots in Harare and other parts of the country has left vendors vulnerable. Most of them lost their wares, while trading itself has become virtually impossible in some areas across the country.
NewsDay (ND) senior reporter Obey Manayiti recently interviewed Vendors Initiative for Socio-Economic Transformation (Viset) leader Samuel Wadzai (SW) on a number of issues, including challenges they are facing and their plea to government. Below are the excerpts:
ND: As the vendors’ representative, can you give us in detail the situation prevailing on the ground.
SW: The situation is very tense. We are witnessing wanton abuse of street traders at the hands of Zimbabwe Republic Police and the army. Hundreds of our members are being rounded up and arrested. This latest clampdown comes amid a nationwide operation by armed forces that has seen thousands of vendors losing money and wares to soldiers, who were robbing them at gunpoint.
Vendors are not criminals, but ordinary people seeking livelihoods and must be allowed to feed their families, especially when the government has failed to provide formal jobs. We also note that there is an undeclared curfew which is infringing on the people’s right to movement and liberty. The impact of this is hurting and our members are the worst hit by this so-called crackdown.
