Vendor dies in Mbare clashes

By Freeman Razemba

A vendor was killed in Harare Monday while attempting to resist arrest by municipal police officers who were chasing him, prompting some Mbare residents to run amok, stoning municipal and ZRP police officers and passing cars.

The angry residents and vendors turned violent before dumping the body of the man at the council’s department of engineering along Remembrance Drive at around 10:30am.

The vendor, identified as Godfrey Tonde (25), is suspected to have died after falling down while fleeing from municipal police at Shawasha Grounds.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau said they would investigate Tonde’s death.

He expressed concern at the behaviour of the residents, saying people should not take the law into their hands.

“We don’t condone such behaviour and they should not have become more and more violent when the police had moved in to assist,” he said.

He also expressed dismay that children and women had joined in the melee.

Three vehicles and a commuter omnibus had their windscreens shattered as they passed in front of the residents who also included women and children.

Early last month, a Mupedzanhamo stallholder, Mrs Martha Chitambira (70), was killed after being hit by a missile during a demonstration against the proposed re-organisation of Mupedzanhamo Flea Market.

The council is re-organising the allocation of stands following accusations that senior Zanu PF officials like Ignatius Chombo and Oppah Muchinguri among others are multiple owners and subletting to desperate vendors.

There were running battles between council police and members of the public at Harare’s Fourth Street bus terminus last week Thursday.

Problems started when a small group of council police officers went on the rampage at the terminus looking for illegal touts, people who ‘assist’ bus conductors and drivers to fill the vehicles with passengers.