Licence fee waiver for orphans, widows in Byo

THE Bulawayo City Council has been urged to exempt orphans and widows from paying the $30 vending fee as they are most vulnerable and worst affected by economic challenges in the country.

In a recent interview with Radio Dialogue, Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association (ZCIEA) information manager, Lewis Jones, noted that they were pushing for the resolution to be implemented.

"Indeed it is one of the things that we are going to forward to the city council probably through the Mayor or the town clerk,

"This is going to happen because it is a resolution and we have every intention of pushing these resolutions through and we are confident that the city council will cooperate with us," Jones was quoted saying.

Most widows and orphans live from hand to mouth and are continuously harassed by council police over license fees which they struggle to pay.

"Elderly women and orphans usually realise very little profit and when the municipal police raid us they are usually caught as they would have failed to make good their escape," noted one vendor.

In a separate interview, Deputy Mayor Councillor Gift Banda noted the proper procedures had to followed so as to deliberate on the matter.

"If they want to have such proposals then they will have to present them to council and write them down so we look at the merits and the demerits of that proposal.

"They can forward their requests through their organisations or associations so that they go through relevant council departments for consideration," said Councillor Banda.

Jones confirmed that they were in the process of compiling a report that included a proposal calling for a licence fee waiver for orphans and the elderly and other proposals that were tabled at recent Vendors and Informal traders' conference.

"Am glad to tell you that as l speak we are compiling that report and putting it together, getting it typed, printed and copied to the relevant departments. Within a few days time, we would have compiled it and we will be able to forward it to the council," Jones said.


Radio Dialogue