News / National
Grace Mugabe drawn into vendors' saga
04 Jun 2015 at 07:46hrs | Views
First Lady Grace Mugabe's name was drawn into the potentially explosive battle to rid Harare's central business district of illegal vendors after some representatives of the informal traders argued she gave them the right to operate.
A few days after the government and security forces gave vendors a seven-day ultimatum to retreat to legal trading areas, the hawkers have split into distinct camps.
At a meeting organised by Harare City Council yesterday, the vendors were divided into pro-MDC-T and Zanu-PF camps.
The rival organisations' representatives came to blows at a meeting attended by Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to chart the way forward as the Monday deadline to leave the streets draws near.
Some of the groups said they would not move out of the CBD because they had the blessing of the First Lady who during her "Meet The People" rallies last year urged authorities to leave vendors alone.
Grace berated the police for allegedly harassing vendors at the series of rallies that she held ahead of the Zanu-PF congress last year.
Some of the groups yesterday said they were waiting for direction from "our mother" claiming the First Lady was their protector.
However, Christine Taruwona, a Zanu-PF central committee member and national secretary for business liaison and development in the youth league, claimed Grace was misquoted.
A few days after the government and security forces gave vendors a seven-day ultimatum to retreat to legal trading areas, the hawkers have split into distinct camps.
At a meeting organised by Harare City Council yesterday, the vendors were divided into pro-MDC-T and Zanu-PF camps.
The rival organisations' representatives came to blows at a meeting attended by Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to chart the way forward as the Monday deadline to leave the streets draws near.
Some of the groups said they would not move out of the CBD because they had the blessing of the First Lady who during her "Meet The People" rallies last year urged authorities to leave vendors alone.
Grace berated the police for allegedly harassing vendors at the series of rallies that she held ahead of the Zanu-PF congress last year.
Some of the groups yesterday said they were waiting for direction from "our mother" claiming the First Lady was their protector.
However, Christine Taruwona, a Zanu-PF central committee member and national secretary for business liaison and development in the youth league, claimed Grace was misquoted.
Source - newsday
