Harare police in 'brutal' clash with vendors

HARARE municipal police officer and vendors engaged in running battles on Monday leaving one officer serious injured.

The municipal police officer was identified as Pamela Chitendo.

However, vendors denied the allegations of beating up metro police officers, saying Chitendo was attacked by some "spiritual forces" after confiscating their wares along First Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue.

 Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights spokesperson Kumbirai Mafunda witness the incident.

He wrote "It's simply called brutality as the lowly newsletterman saw it for himself in central Salisbury late Monday afternoon at the corner of First Street and Nelson Mandela Avenue as Harare Municipality dragged this informal sector trader on the pavement and "loaded" him into HCC truck.

"There were clashes between the informal traders and the the HCC municipal police officers who have been occupying their 'trading space'. Zimbabwe!".

Council spokesperson Michael Chideme confirmed the incident.

"We can confirm that our officer was severely assaulted by vendors during an operation by the municipal police," Chideme said.

"We have intensified our patrols in the CBD [central business district] to ensure that vendors go to designated sites. The city also appeals to political parties to discourage their supporters and members from attacking police officers as doing so only serves to tarnish the image of the city and that of the country".

Vendors are resisting council moves to push them to designated sites which include Coventry holding bay, Coca-Cola along Seke Road, Tsiga Centre in Mbare and City Sports Centre.