Harare mayor denies council ordered demolitions of market stalls in Mbare

Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba has denied reports that the City Council was behind the demolition of roadside market stalls in Mbare and Chishawasha areas on Saturday during Independence Day.

Nehanda Radio understands that the mayor is adamant his council did not sanction the demolitions and that during an emergency situation such as the 21-day lockdown ordered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa it is the government that takes over all security matters including hospitals.

“The command and whatever is happening has nothing to do with council as elected because council does not supervise the state. Councillors tried to stop this demolionment but were told they will be infringing the acts of parliament and the emergency stipulations,” an insider said.

According to a tweet from the Mayor’s Office;

“The Mayor will give a response to all issues being raised about the unsanctioned demolitions taking place in Harare, currently he is consulting the chairman of the informal sector committee, the Town Clerk and the Minister of the Harare Metropolitan province who also chairs JOC.”

Journalist and political commentator Hopewell Chin’ono tweeted: “Mayor @GombaHerbert & @nelsonchamisa. I can’t think of any worse time to do this to our underprivileged people!

“Did it have to be now? How did these people get there in the first place? Who allowed them to trade from there? Why would they be removed when they are most vulnerable?

“Zimbabweans MUST understand that solutions to all this can only be found in Political Reforms. We won’t create little oasis patches when the whole population is starving!

“Zimbabwe is a broken nation, both politically & economically. Fix the economic fundamentals not the symptoms!” Chin’ono added. Nehanda Radio