Police nowhere to be seen as Zanu PF youths attack vendors

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Suspected Zanu PF youths on Tuesday morning descended on central Harare, indiscriminately attacking vendors and passersby.

The violent youths pelted vendors, considered to be anti-Zanu PF, with stones and even though there were police deployments in the city centre, none attended to the riots.

The attackers also stoned the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) offices at the corner of Leopold Takawira and Nelson Mandela.

The youths accused NAVUZ, led by Sten Zvorwadza, a civil activist, of being anti-government.

By close to noon, the violence was confined to the area close to the Copacabana market place which is a hive of hawking activities.

The Choppies supermarket where Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has shares was also damaged by rioters, but it was not clear whether they were the same youths or a different group of people.

While police have swiftly reacted to anti-government demonstrations, they have been accused of siding with Zanu PF protesters. Nehanda Radio