Some vending tables and secondhand clothes at Mupedzanhamo flea market in Mbare, Harare, were set on fire on Friday night and Saturday by suspected ZANU PF activists.
It is believed that the arson attack was a form of punishment meted on vendors who refused to pay fees to space barons who control vending space at the market.
However, Mbare ward 4 councillor Martin Matinyaya (ZANU PF) told NewsDay that violence broke out after a ZANU PF member was fatally assaulted by suspected CCC activists. Said Matinyaya:
We have a serious challenge here. The CCC members attacked one of our members Onisimo Mavhungire, who later died on his way to the hospital.
Our guys then went to the flea market intending to catch the seven CCC members, but they ran away.
Out of anger, they might have destroyed the tables belonging to the CCC activists.
This is not the first time that violence over space has broken out between vendors. space barons and political activists.
Last month, ZANU PF and CCC youths clashed over the control of the market stalls currently being run by ruling party activists.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume condemned the incident and called for peaceful co-existence at Mupedzanhamo.
Harare police provincial spokesperson Inspector Julius Chakanza told NewsDay that he had not received a report about the clashes.