Grace grabs vendors’ goods

via Grace grabs vendors’ goods – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 28, 2015

First Lady Grace Mugabe yesterday shockingly disclosed that second-hand clothes confiscated from vendors by municipal police, State security agents and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) at the country’s border posts and in major city centres had been handed over for distribution to Zanu PF supporters.

by XOLISANI NCUBE

Addressing a rally at Murombedzi Growth Point in Zvimba, Grace said all confiscated second-hand clothes were being handed over to her by the authorities although she had earlier told party supporters not to wear the banned second-hand clothes.

She distributed 150 bales of second-hand clothing confiscated from vendors mainly in Harare to Zanu PF groups and told them that they must wash them first before use.

“I have brought many things for you among them are 150 bales of second-hand clothes . . .you are going to wear them and we are giving out without looking at whether you can fit in or not,” she said as the crowd erupted into laughter prompting her to immediately warn the members not to use the second-hand clothes without washing.

“Let me tell you this, don’t buy second-hand clothes, don’t import them because when they are confiscated by police and authorities, they are given to me as the mother so that I could distribute them to many people for free.”

Due to economic hardships facing Zimbabwe, many jobless people have ventured into vending and selling second-hand clothes to sustain their families.

The informal traders usually import the clothes from Mozambique, but government recently announced the ban on the importation and sale of second-hand clothes.

Government recently launched a blitz against informal traders selling second-hand clothes among other wares especially in Harare and elsewhere around the country.

According to the First Lady, part of the confiscated goods would be distributed to the ruling party supporters across the country starting with Murombedzi — closer to President Robert Mugabe’s rural Zvimba home.

Ironically, before announcing that she had brought 150 bales of second-hand clothes, Grace had spoken ill of wearing used clothes saying they have serious health implications.

She also said the importation of such goods destroyed the country’s clothing industry which was already in comatose.

“Don’t wear them, these clothes have health implications. Imagine all of us here have various bacteria and here you are, wearing something whose previous owner, you don’t know and the diseases the person was suffering from (and) you have no history about,” Grace said.

She admitted that the country’s economy was in distress, but bravely claimed that the 2,2million jobs promised by the Zanu PF party in the build-up to the general elections in 2013 could be achieved.

“I know that the MDC is saying that there is nothing happening, telling you all sorts of things, but I can tell you, we could achieve the two million jobs which we promised if we look at sector-by-sector and evaluate what is happening,” Grace said.

“I know that ZimAsset (the government’s economic blueprint) is being implemented and taking shape although slowly. Don’t be misled by these MDC that nothing is happening, yes you are not seeing it because it is taking shape slowly, but something is happening.”

Grace said although she supported vendors, they must use designated points and stop parading their goods in front of established retail shops to create chaos in the cities.

She also donated food hampers to thousands of people who had thronged the growth point while Kadoma businessman, Jimayi Muduvuri, donated over 100 bicycles to traditional leaders in Zvimba.

The First Lady also attacked corrupt Cabinet ministers saying they were tarnishing Mugabe’s image.