EFF declares war on MDC Alliance

The Economic Freedom Fighters (ZEFF) has declared war on the "corrupt MDC Alliance councilors" for turning upside down the lives of ordinary citizens who are surviving as street vendors.

"Council authorities mainly in Bulawayo and Harare have run down these places and made it a challenge for vendors to survive and this is worrying us a lot as this corruption scourges continue unattended to," said EFF's Commander-in-Chief Innocent Ndibali.

"As Zim EFF are of the view that ordinary people who struggle to make ends meet on a day to day basis must be allowed to operate freely without hindrance, extortion or harassment of any form or shape by council officials. These are men and women who are working hard to earn money through informal trading with the sole aim to feed their families, buy clothes for their children, pay school fees for their children, buy essential medicines for their loved one and to maintain dignity for themselves and their families in the midst of unprecedented economic collapse in our country. EFF and the hardworking people in our townships demand that council officials stop harassing vendors forthwith."

The EFF also urged the civil society movements to join vendors in defence of their dignity.

"The message is loud and clear - to the local councils, STOP HARASSING VENDORS NOW.

We recognise that the best way to economically empower ordinary and poor people is to protect them from the powerful, corrupt and rich people who use state power to economically oppress the people. We call upon all the affected vendors to report all incidences of abuse to EFF officials who are compiling a report with a view to take direct action against the perpetrators as well as engage the presidency to end this abuse once and for all," he said.

Also taken note of by the young outfit is the intensifying security operations targeted at vendors.

"We have been following the harassment of vendors by the council through their security personnel. Municipal securities are always taking advantage of vendors seeking bribes from them and also victimizing them if they fail to deliver. We also have reports that all MDC Alliance run councils are experiencing all forms of corruption, harassment (physical & sexual). This needs to stop, our young party and its leadership is old in politics and we will not sit and watch while our people are victimized daily," added Ndibali.

Recently we got a report from one concerned vendor and this is what she shared with us:

"Most councillors here in Bulawayo always solicits for bribes to allow us as vendors to operate on streets in Bulawayo and we are told that is also the case with Harare. We are made to pay 2 dollars a day per head with a dollar paid in the morning and another 1 dollar paid when they are closing business in the evening for us to do business on the streets.

There is also a councillor who was given an opportunity to take charge of the Flee Markets and Pay Toilets and for any person to get a stand they have to render sexual favours to him and also maintain as per demand," read the report.

The flamboyant young party challenged the councillor a chance to reform and serve the people who elected him to power.

"It is still shocking on why this councillor is running pay toilets himself instead of giving public tenders. As we are saying we are concerned and worried on these sex for favours mentality that is practised mostly by these councillors. He must reform together with his group.

"We also need City by-laws to apply to everyone equal not that only vendors aligned to or who are MDC members  get immunity on everything. The apolitical vendors or those aligned to other political parties are harassed and not given freedom like other vendors. This is a very serious grave of concern for us as a people driven organisation representing people. Equality must be for front of everything," said Ndibali.

EFF further urged Zimbabweans especially in urban spaces to partner up with them as they move ahead towards making a free and equal society for all in urban areas

"Those who stand for the truth will know what I am talking about and help us to build a strong society and get rid of the corrupt and "sexual" demanding councillors

"Basically corruption and bribing is the order of day and this has led to vendors being vulnerable to all opportunists out there. Let us improve the lives of the vendors. They are also Zimbabweans deserving a better life.

"We also urge those Municipality security to desist from harassing vendors and looting their stock. This is a friendly warning," he added.

EFF also challenged the government to save the vendors from these "corrupt MDC Alliance councillors" and also protect them from violent and thieving municipal security personnel.

"It is the mandate of the president of the country and his government to protect our vendors as well and we need action on this, concluded Ndibali.