The National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) Responds To The 7 Day Ultimatum Given To Vendors Nationwide

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Ignatius Chombo gave all CBD vendors across the country a seven day ultimatum to evacuate or they will be removed by agents forcefully.

NAVUZ has come to the vendors’ defense saying the process is inconsiderable since the Minister did not provide alternative vending spaces for the affected vendors.

The National Director of NAVUZ , Mr Samuel Wadzai held a press conference yesterday and made his mission clear which is to make sure no vendor is forced to leave their current sites.

Wadzai said Minister Chombo must be at the forefront in as far as efforts to legalize formalize and organize vending are concerned but instead he has chosen to militarize the process by threatening the vendors with military action if they don’t vacate their sources of livelihood.

“Zimbabwe is not in a state of emergency, inviting the military and police to deal with vendors is as good as declaring war on livelihoods”, said Wadzai.

He went on to compare the seven day ultimatum with Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina saying it is a clear demonstration of ignorance and deliberate oblivion on the macro-economic situation obtaining Zimbabwe.

He acknowledged Harare Mayor’s statement which said “vending is an outcome of macro-economic the country is in”, Wadzai added that the informal sector has become the new source of livelihood for the majority of Zimbabweans and it is the backbone of this ailing economy.

“Vendors are innocent citizens who are also entrepreneurs”, he said. “NAVUZ urges Minister Chombo to rethink his decision”, he added.

Wadzai assured all vendors that they won’t be removed from current vending sites unless alternative and equally profitable spaces are provided for them.

“We are not opposed to endeavors that bring sanity to the city of Harare but livelihoods must never be sacrificed at the altar of free walking space”, he said.