The banning of selling of vegetables and fruits in Harare is an unwelcome reaction from an irresponsible government that has zero care about the welfare of its people. We note with concern that such a hurried move from the government will go a long way in affecting a long chain of people involved in the trade of vegetables starting from the small scale farmers to the consumers on the ground.
As the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe we vehemently denounce the ban on vending as vindictive, insensitive, irresponsible and evil. The sprouting of vendors on the streets is a direct creation of a government that promised to create jobs that were never created. After managing such a failure, brave Zimbabweans took it upon themselves to find responsible ways to look after their families and send children to school, pay rentals, afford the right to health care.
The current government has managed to destroy and make life more difficult for its citizens than finding solutions to be supportive. We have witnessed an array of unthinkable policies which include Statutory Instrument 64 which has made it difficult for cross border traders to earn a living. The desperate introduction of bond has done more damage than good in worsening the economic crisis.
The fear of the disease in mention is a direct creation of the City of Harare’s management deficit. Service delivery is poor, there is no refuse collection, and citizens are surviving on borehole water. There is no transparency on what is happening to the rate payers’ money. It is the role of Harare Council to ensure that they do their part to make the city a safe market place by providing clean water, public toilets and waste collection services.
As vendors we strongly refuse to be held as scape goats, to sit back and watch the government deal with people as their own subjects. We are Zimbabweans and we have a right to live in Zimbabwe as the ministers do, we are entitled to a reasonable standard of life in which the government should take its part and be responsible. What is the purpose of having a government that has nothing to offer its people?
The people who have been brave to stay in Zimbabwe have gotten no help or encouragement from our own government but serious insults. A large population of millions have fled to South African, and to other nations and those countries are now carrying the burden of another government which is Zimbabwe. Many Zimbabweans are doing vending activities in foreign countries because back at home our government is too busy to notice what is happening to its people.
We will mobilize people to resist such an evil resolution, from ministers who if we dig deeper it will not be surprising that their own mothers send them to school or to universities through money gotten from vending. This is time not only as vendors, but as the people of Zimbabwe we should take hold of our lives and hold this irresponsible government to be responsible and to be accountable to what happens inside the borders of Zimbabwe. We will not allow this ban to kill the livelihoods of hardworking patriotic citizens of Harare. If we are silent this will be effected country wide, we need to stand up demand redress to the welfare of vendors and the people of Zimbabwe at large.
Sten Zvorwadza
CHAIRPERSON
NATIONAL VENDORS UNION ZIMBABWE