The Zimbabwe Republic Police has started clearing out vendors from the streets of Harare. The police have spared no measures, and have deployed water cannons to ensure that the vendors are cleared out. This comes after President Robert Mugabe ordered then Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo and Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere to get rid of vendors in Harare’s CBD. Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs Minister Miriam Chikukwa also warned vendors and pirate taxis to comply with the law and to decongest the CBD.
Some vendors have vowed to defy the directive arguing that it was their source of employment. However, some vendors have deserted their ‘stations’ after the heavy police presence. It still remains to be seen if the police will be successful, as pirate taxis and vendors have a habbit of lying low when things are hot, only to return when the operations die down.
ALERT!!!! Vendors are being cleared out of Hre CBD. Their human rights are being infringed. State punishing them for its own failures. pic.twitter.com/qiFFbs0AGu
— Gandanga (@MurunguMutema) October 12, 2017
Video Credit: @MurunguMutema