Newspaper vendors in Mutare who sell private daily newspapers, NewsDay and the Daily News, say they are living in fear after receiving threats from suspected pro-Zanu PF activists.
Alleged Zanu PF youths have reportedly been confronting vendors, threatening them with assault if they continued to sell the papers which they accuse of being anti Zanu PF.
“When the headline is opposing Zanu-PF, a group of youths always walks around, saying we should stop selling the newspapers. They accuse us of siding with MDC and we live in fear that one day they will take action,” said a vendor operating from the central business district.
She, however, said she would not leave her job because that was her sole means of survival.
“I can’t do anything else to earn a living. I have to work for my family. If they don’t want newspapers they should start by removing the Herald.”
A male vendor in town said he was manhandled and threatened with assault for selling the NewsDay edition in which the death of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was chronicled in detail.
“To tell you the truth, it’s now risky to sell these papers and if threats continue I will just sell those the youths like,” said another angry vendor who admitted NewsDay was the most popular daily.
