NCA shocked over Army directive on vendors

The National Constitutional Assembly party has expressed its deepest shock over the directive given by the Zimbabwe National Army and the Local Government Public Works and national Housing ministry to vendors to have vacated the streets by next week.

The party said it was sad that the government which rendered people jobless is the one now victimizing them for trying to eke a living through selling their wares on the streets.

Terrance Maoneke NCA National Youth Chairperson said the NCA party is shocked but not surprised by the directive given to vendors to vacate from town to an unknown destination. The directive given by Minister Ignatious Chombo is diabolic as well as insensitive to the plight of vendors and is meant to destroy their livelihoods.

"As NCA party we are aware that vendors were invited to operate in town by ZANU PF. These vendors were made to pay a fee to ZANU PF for them to be allowed to operate in town. Now it's surprising that ZANU PF government is ordering the vendors to vacate town," said Maoneke.

"It is extremely hypocritical that ZANU PF had a manifesto, in the last general elections, claiming that it will create over two million jobs but their government is now shattering the hopes of poor people who depended on the informal sector to make ends meet."

He said Instead of promoting the informal sector ZANU PF corrupt leaders are busy ensuring that life is difficult for everyone in Zimbabwe. "This intended insensitive and cruel notice of eviction by Minister Chombo is not different from what we witnessed in Mazowe where innocent villagers were evicted to pave way for the first lady to grab the land," said Maoneke.

"As an opposition party we want to register our concern to the effect that ZANU PF government wants to use the military to implement their devilish move to evict vendors from town. This is, in our own humble view, unacceptable for a government to use military to deal with civilians. ZANU PF will be responsible for any causality resulting from the unplanned eviction. The army must operate within the confinements of the provisions in the constitution of Zimbabwe that clearly stipulate that the military must not be directly involved in matters to deal with unarmed civilians."

He said NCA party is also concerned that the time frame given to vendors to vacate town is not reasonable and too short for vendors to comply with the unreasonable directive. He said from the ultimatum given by Minister Ignatious Chombo there are no clear indications that ZANU PF government made adequate arrangements to create an alternative space for the vendors. He said there was also no adequate consultation and involvement of all stakeholders in coming up with a long term solution to problems affecting vendors.

"The rising number of vendors in town is as a result of ZANU PF government lack of initiatives to create employment. Instead of concentrating on revamping industries the corrupt ZANU PF government is busy concentrating on punishing innocent and poor people," he said.

"We urge ZANU PF government to withdraw the ultimatum given to the vendors. This directive, if implemented, may result in chaos around town and possible damage to property or even loss of human life."

He said as NCA party they stand by vendors' plight and the NCA encourage them to resist any move by anyone to deprive them of their livelihood. "We call upon all vendors to ignore the directive from Minister Ignatious Chombo and to continue operating in their respective places around town," he said.

"NCA party is calling upon all Zimbabweans to defend the rights of vendors. Let's not stand aside watching our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters being harassed by ZANU PF. As Zimbabweans we must stand together to ensure that ZANU PF government respect the rule of law and adhere to the provisions of the constitution of Zimbabwe."