Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), wishes to register its displeasure in the manner in which the allocation of vending sites for vendors operating in Harare’s Central Business District is being executed since the Government launched the illegal and violent eviction of vendors. To date, VISET has received over 155 cases where the Harare City Council officials spearheading the process are being accused of impartiality and politicization of the entire process. Vendors that do not have connections at Harare City Council or not linked to certain political groups are finding it difficult to be allocated vending spaces especially in sites such as Robert Mugabe and Rezende, Chinhoyi and Mbuya Nehanda, Copacabana, Market Square and Forth Street.
At Robert Mugabe and Rezende vending site for instance, known youths from a political party are in charge of the process and these youths stand accused of abandoning or blocking vendors perceived to be politically incorrect. As far as we are concerned at VISET, this approach is wrong for we believe that the process should be managed by the Harare City Council’s Informal Sector Committee because ultimately the contract should be between the vendor and Harare City Council. VISET has since launched an investigation into these allegations and the outcome of the same is going to be shared with authorities at Harare City Council. In the meantime, we continue to urge the Harare City Council to put in place measures that will ensure that every vendor benefits from the vending sites allocation process regardless of one’s political persuasion.
Source: Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)
