The Zimbabwe National Army was put on high alert on Monday as Local Government and national Housing Minister Ignatius Chombo called for the soldiers to displace our vendors.
The military threat to vendors should be worrying to everyone. It is something one would have expected everyone, the informal sector, civil societies, the business community and all opposition parties to have condemned unreservedly. It is an unprecedented declaration and abuse of the army, not to mention the intimidation of society and militarization of our local authorities’ policing duties.
Under normal circumstances, this is an issue for the local authorities because all our cities have their own enforcing security departments to deal with vendors. Vendors break council by-laws and are thus dealt with by the council. Should they overwhelm the local council’s security department, say by being violent, that is when the police should called upon to enforce law and order by making necessary arrests. The threat of using the army against vendors is uncalled for and sets a very dangerous precedent on our policing system.
If the army has the time to chase after vendors with their wares of tomatoes, vegetables and old clothes; next who will they be chasing after? Your guess is as good as mine. The opposition is in trouble, the civil society is in trouble, we are all in trouble!! A precedent has been set. The same ZNA officers, instead of the ZRP, will be called upon to quell noisy demonstrations and rallies. This is sad because we have a civil society that seem blind to the consequences of this unprecedented conduct by minister Chombo. Is it not shocking for someone in military attire to be on TV making threats to innocent vendors, civilians who have not even resisted any state announcement pertaining to their conduct? And how did the army get involved in issues of local government? Will the same government in future use the army to compel the formal business sector pay taxes and fund Zanu events? This doesn’t benefit anyone other being a way of blatantly intimidating the society. The business community may be happy today to have the army clear vendors off its pavements, but it will soon find itself beholden to the same forces threatening to deploy the army on its behalf.
Noone disputes that vendors should not be trading in front of established businesses who pay rentals and taxes. However, their removal should be discussed by all stakeholders so that vendors take ownership of whatever decision is arrived at. Without that, its going to be a perpetual ‘cat and mouse’ issue which no amount of military presence will stop unless the army shoots a couple of vendors. Is that what we want? Certainly NO! Has the mayor of Harare and his councillors been consulted? I doubt. Their input is essential because they were elected by the same vendors and thus have a responsibility over city they run.
As for Zanu, this hypocrisy is shocking. I recall the First Lady encouraging the vendors to do their business unperturbed. In her own words, Grace said,
‘‘However, I want to urge government to ensure that a conducive environment is put in place for women’s involvement in different sectors this should include women vendors who are subjected to all kinds of ill treatment.
“Mapurisa (Police), mapurisa please, mapurisa, probably you were able to go to school and attested in the police force because your mother was selling tomatoes to pay your school fees,” said Grace
“Ngatiregerei kutorera vanhu zvinhu zvavo, ndakati kana vasiri kutengesera mumadesignated places taurai navo zvakanaka havarambi. Kana muine nzara musina matomatoes kweretai chikwereti hachirambwi, nekuti matomatoes iwayo amuri kutora nezvimwe zvamunenge muchitora kana zvakunzi chiburitsai tione munenge musina zvichinzi zvakaora. Isu tinenge tatorerwa zvinhu zvedu zvichinzi zvakaora tiratidzei zvakangoora kudaro. Ngatiregei kudarano veduwe tiri kutsvaga kurarama.
“Vazvinzwa vakuru vemapurisa vagere pamberi apo, (Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity) Mai Charamba nevamwe vavo vazvinzwa. Mazvinzwa mhamha handiti.” Said Grace Mugabe.
Thus the sudden turn of events leading to the need for militarizing policing methods can only be a mere extension of Zanu’s intra-fights. Grace Mugabe’s passionate supporter, Zanu youth leader, Godwin Gomwe, gets arrested for extortion of the same vendors, and all of a sudden the army is sent after them. We are aware this is the same Godwin Gomwe whom the same minister local government minister Chombo, once intervened on his behalf to avoid arrested by the police. Now what has happened? His case should be a lesson about our politics, not only about the Zanu’s ‘use and abuse’ tactics, but how they affect the entire nation.