A FIERCE showdown looms in Chinhoyi where vendors have resisted council moves to stop them from operating near Chinhoyi Stadium, saying the planned relocation was politically-motivated and meant to drive them out of business.
NUNURAI JENA About 230 vendors yesterday threatened to turn violent as they repelled a group of municipal police sent to evict them from the site.
The vendors claimed that the move was a Zanu PF ploy to punish them as they were deemed opposition supporters, hence politically incorrect.
“Council officials are very insensitive to the plight of residents,” vendors’ association chairman Tendayi Makumbe said.
“First, they removed us from the streets some years back and forced us to come here only to tell us now to go back in the streets.
“They are a confused lot.”
A vendor identified as Gerry Gandawa said: “The new Zanu PF councillors want us removed under the guise that they want to renovate, but there is no guarantee that we will all come back after the purported renovations.”
The vendors accused the local authority of failing to refurbish market stalls although they paid $8 vending levy to the council each month.
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Both Chinhoyi mayor Test Michaels and acting town clerk Abel Gotora declined to comment on the matter.
