via MDC-T-run authorities rally behind vendors – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 8, 2015
OPPOSITION MDC-T-run local authorities have vowed to rally behind street vendors and resist any attempts by the Zanu PF government to forcefully remove them from the streets.
The resolution was made at a special MDC-T councillors’ meeting held on Saturday in Harare which was also attended by party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
This came as the government at the weekend gave vendors until June 26 to relocate to designated vending sites or risk being pushed out by State security agents.
“As councillors, we were elected into office by the people and we recognise the hardships that our people are facing in the communities in which they live. In that regard, we salute the efforts that are being made by citizens to earn an honest living by operating as vendors and all other forms of small-scale enterprise,” read a statement from MDC-T councillors.
“It is our conviction that dialogue with all concerned stakeholders will enable us to reach amicable solutions to the problems that this upsurge in informal sector activity has caused.
“We do not believe in either coercion or the use of force and we distance ourselves from any declaration that seeks to draw our military or security services into confrontation with people who are not a threat to anyone.”
COMMENTS
Cheap politicking by the MDC I’m afraid!!!! The vendors are a serious problem to formal business , admittedly not their fault they have been forced into vending but WHERE is the united opposition to find a permanent solution to this???
The best way to remove vendors from streets. The government must create jobs.It is the duty of the present government to provide security to the nation. Failure to deliver then the government must resign period.
But surely there is not much formal business to talk about. The majority of the people now living as vendors were once employed by formal businesses which have now closed due to mismanagement of the country by mugabe and zanu.
I am finding hard to think you didnt know this. Either your mind is indeed boggled or you are suspicouly one of them
@Jackson I assure you I am not one of them but yes my comment did appear slightly muddled. My point is to try and protect the very little formal business left, a grocery store paying rent and tax can not compete with vendors at the door. A permanent solution needs to be found. Permanent solutions often hurt in the short term and are seldom popular.
The only permanent solution to my mind, would be the removal of ZANU.
A ZANU that has failed to govern.
Sure, people are paying tents and taxes but where is it all going.
The financing of ZANU plc, no doubt!
It may therefore not be cheap politicking by the MDC after all but a realization of a potentially powerful leverage tool to use against this heinous administration.