'MDC-T rejects attempts to force vendors off the streets'

At a meeting held in Harare today the 6th June 2015, the Urban Councils that are controlled by the MDC met to discuss their reaction to the Statement by the Minister of Local Government that government was going to clear the Urban Councils of street vendors with effect from the 8th June 2015.

After several hours of deliberations and being briefed by Party leadership, including the Party President leader Dr. M. R. Tsvangirai, the Councils resolved to make the following statement:

"As Councilors we were elected into office by the people and we recognise the hardships that our people are facing in the communities in which they live. In that regard, we salute the efforts that are being made by citizens to earn an honest living by operating as vendors and all other forms of small scale enterprise.

Consequently, all urban councils are confronted with many thousands of individuals operating as small scale business persons who have been forced to enter this sector of the economy following the collapse of employment in the formal sector. It is our conviction that dialogue with all concerned stakeholders will enable us to reach amicable solutions to the problems that this upsurge in informal sector activity has caused.

We do not believe in either coercion or the use of force and we distance ourselves from any declaration that seeks to draw our military or security services into confrontation with people who are not a threat to anyone.

We further believe that the interests of all citizens can be addressed while at the same time ensuring that our local authorities are able to continue undertaking their constitutionally mandated roles peacefully.

Accordingly, we reject all attempts to force concerned citizens and small business persons to leave their chosen places of trade and employment where they are trying to make an honest living."