Vendors union condemns arrests and brutality

STATEMENT – The National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) has once again come under siege from the ruthless state machinery under the auspices of the Harare Municipality, which has resorted to violence in a bid to remove the vendors from the streets.

What is worrying is the fact that the vendors who have come under attack are registered vendors who are still waiting to be allocated spaces in the so called designated vending sites.

Upon receiving the sad news that their members have been attacked and that apart from their wares beings confiscated, some have been seriously injured, NAVUZ National Director Mr Samuel Wadzai, in the company of NAVUZ administrator Lucy Makunde rushed to Town House to explain to them that the vendors who had been attacked and arrested were registered vendors who were in possession of all the requisite registration papers, and as such had to be released and be given their wares back.

Unfortunately, they were also attacked violently with button sticks and clenched fists and they were arrested, detained and later transferred to the Harare Central Police station where they are still being detained.

NAVUZ Chairperson Mr Sten Zvorwadza also visited Town House upon receiving news of the arrest of the Director and the Administrator, but was also attacked and arrested. He is also detained at Harare Central Police Station.

NAVUZ wishes to condemn such an irrational and barbaric act by the Municipality of Harare, in conjunction with the ZRP, and once again calls upon the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development to take heed to our calls for dialogue between all the stakeholders in the vending enterprise rather than to resort to violence. The later will only excercebate the morass rather than solving it.

Information and Publicity Department

National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NAVUZ)