via ZANU PF guru displaces informal traders | SW Radio Africa by Nomalanga Moyo on Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Informal traders in Mutare are said to be up in arms with the local authority after officials signed a deal handing over the Meikles Park, where they have been operating, to top ZANU PF official Esau Mupfumi.
A Wednesday report in the online news agency NewZimbabwe.com said the order to give the land to businessman Mupfumi, who is a ZANU PF central committee member, came from Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Chombo has reportedly offered the Mutare City Council another piece of State land outside the central business district where the vendors are set to be relocated.
It is said that the ZANU PF businessman plans to build a five star hotel on the site and has given the informal traders until the end of the year to vacate.
But in the meantime Mupfumi has ordered them to pay all rentals directly to him.
Mutare-based journalist Obey Manayiti said there was a lot of anger in the border town because of the deal, with many questioning why the government was prepared to parcel out State land for the benefit of one individual.
Manayiti said Mutare was experiencing serious challenges related to the high unemployment rate as many companies in the city had closed, and informal trade was driving the city’s economy.
“So moving the informal traders to a location outside the city centre will affect their business and they are unhappy with the deal,” he said.
“Many people see this as just another of the ruling party’s ways of rewarding a few of its top officials at the expense of the struggling majority,” said Manayiti.
According to NewZimbabwe, Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhemarare struggled to justify Mupfumi’s hotel plans to the traders, most of them women, who felt betrayed that ZANU PF was now pushing them out after it allocated them the stalls in the run-up to last year’s elections.
In 2011 the Mutare council, led by MDC-T Mayor Brian James, opposed a similar move by Chombo who tried but failed to have Meikles Park sold to a Chinese firm. Chombo subsequently fired the mayor.
COMMENTS
ZANU steals again…go ZANU go ZANU. You are the champions of the world ……(of thieves) go ZANU go….
They need a friendly pad when they go check up on their diamonds. This is an example of the empowerment that we are being told about day in, day out. It’s not for you and me but for them only.
Grunt, Grunt, Snort, Snort!
THIEF CHEF!
This is a familiar scenario being played out time and time again but of cause these poor displaced ‘peasants’ will not only pay rentals to the new thief but also resoundingly vote for ZANU-PF come 2018, as will the lot that was evicted by Grace from Mazoe not so long ago.
I rather think people enjoy being stamped on by Chombo and crew. Maybe it arouses them who knows.
unotozvishaya!!
That land belongs to the people of Zimbabwe. Any deal should be transparent and legal and the traders should not move until it is clear this not just another enrichment scheme!
Aren’t these the same people who voted for ZANU when Chombo offered to reduce their utility bills?
Yes, same people. $15 per vote.
well what are the vendors going to do about it??/
Try to be honest, and put something back into society pay their way, something towards the council cleaning up after them, some taxes if possible, become responsible citizens!
WOW what a tough sentence!
Perfect example of INDEGENISATION and how it benefits the “TOILING MASSES”.Thank you ZANU!!!
Thank you for doing the responsible thing!
The actions of this “Guru” are infact a consolidation of our indigenisation policies to protect the interests of our toiling masses.
Makaura mavanhu emusika. Kwasara eHarare. Pamberi ne 2mln jobs. Kwamunoiswa hatichauyi
True Indigenisation: City council spruces up the park, formalises the vendors and each week each vendor pays US$10 ‘site fees’. This then pays for 2 or 3 council employees to keep the place clean & in order.
Result:- Vendors have a secure place to do business and thus feed their families, and 2 or 3 council employees have jobs cleaning up.
ZANU Indigenisation:- Just take the potential livelihoods of 50 families and give it all to one chef.
Tsotsi, mbava……………..
Vote Zanu and get land. Now there you go.
mati maoneyi. Mirai muone!!!
and the AWARD for the best Lying Thieving scum bags goes to …!
Let him build his hotel, we will take back our piece of land with the added value. These guys just don’t know how temporary all their good life is.