The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) was in Chipinge Ward 24 in their on going pre budget seminars that seek to enhance women and youth participation, in a bid to ensure citizen driven developmental programmes by office bearers at local and national levels. The project is run in conjunction with partners ZIMCODD and Women in Land.
Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) hosted the event that saw participants being taken through the entire budget making process and also being informed on the critical need for their participation, given that they are the two dominant groups demographically.
The participants warmly welcomed the programme and spoke on the harassment they were facing at the hands of law enforcement authorities who were wantonly carrying out raids and confiscating their wares for selling from undesignated spaces. They also cited non consultation by the town council and local councillors.
It was stressed to participants in conclusion that some of these grievances were as a result of lack of communication between them and the town council and that it was imperative they organise themselves to engage them in key programmes such as the budget making process in order to give voice to their needs such as marketplaces, roads and water treatment.
Source: Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)
