Harare vendors vow to invade CDB

Harare vendors have threatened to move back into the central business district following a sudden slump in business caused by the non-strategic location of the new vending sites.

The majority of the vendors allocated stalls at City Sports Centre and Coventry Holding Bay told NewsDay yesterday that their new vending sites had inadequate sanitary facilities.

"We pay $1,25 every day, but we get nothing at the end of the day. We spend every day doing nothing and we feel robbed," said Lawrence Muchoni, one of the vendors at Coventry Holding Bay.

"Some vendors are still in town and are asked to pay the council police to remain there and we feel it's unfair.

"What we want is for other vendors to come here and we face the same situation together, not that we the law-abiding vendors are dumped here while others remain in town recording brisk business."

Another vendor, Simon Mushonga, said the new sites were too remote.

"You can't even make a sale of 25 cents. No sane customer can come to such a secluded place as this," Mushonga said.

At the City Sports Centre, there were less than three vendors who said they were paying daily fees for nothing as there was no infrastructure.

Council spokesperson Michael Chideme said that the local authority was making frantic efforts to set up proper infrastructure at the sites.