Zimbabwe vendor war turns political

Zanu-PF and MDC-T councillors in Harare have reportedly turned Town House into a battlefield where the two parties divided over the fate of vendors operating in the central business district.

The tug war started when the MDC-T ordered its councillors who dominate Harare City Council to resist any attempts by the Zanu-PF government to forcibly evict vendors from the CBD.

Harare Town House Management was said to be taking instructions from Zanu-PF which is pushing for the vendors to relocate to the designated vending sites outside the CBD.

The vendors' issue was set to dominate tonight's full council meeting as it emerged that the MDC-T councillors were spoiling for a fight with the city's management over the matter.

National Vendors' Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz) leader Samuel Wadzai said it was suspicious that Zanu PF space barons who had been campaigning for the removal of vendors from the city centre were now leading the registration process.

Some of the vendors' organisations that have been pushing for the removal of vendors from the city centre included the Zanu PF-aligned Queen of Grace ZimAsset Trust, Grassroots Empowerment and Flea Market and Vending Association. Other groups have been accused of having links with the opposition.