PARLIAMENT yesterday castigated local authorities for failing to designate proper vending places and infrastructure saying the House was being reduced to debating such issues instead of discussing solid legislative ones.
VENERANDA LANGA
The issue was raised during debate on a motion on the ill-treatment of female informal traders by council police which was introduced in the National Assembly by Goromonzi West MP Biata Nyamupinga (Zanu PF) and seconded by Kuwadzana MP Lucia Matibenga (MDC-T).
Nyamupinga accused council police of beating up female vendors, some with children strapped on their backs. She said vendors were being sexually harassed and caressed on their backsides and breasts and made to pay unnecessary fines, while their wares were confiscated.
Nyamupinga played an audio recording in the House to demonstrate other legislators the extent of harassment suffered by women vendors.
“It is disturbing that in Zimbabwe, women who want to make a decent are subjected to brutal harassment, arbitrary arrests and battering by municipal police and this is not in line with gender policies and laws,” Nyamupinga said.
“Local authorities should address this as a matter of urgency because Zimbabwe is a signatory to different gender protocols.”
Nyamupinga said 63% of persons who were economically inactive were women compared to 37% men, adding that proper vending stalls with ablution facilities should be constructed to allow women to be economically active.
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Matibenga said there was need to do away with colonial legislation which outlawed vending activities.
Mutasa South MP Irene Zindi (Zanu PF) said there was need to have female chief executive officers at banks to enable women to access loans.
“Local Government minister Ignatious Chombo should ensure colonial laws are repealed so that we come up with by-laws that encompass women,” Zindi said.
Kambuzuma MP Willias Madzimure (MDC-T) said people who used vending points should own the stalls instead of most stalls being owned by local authority chefs and legislators.
Binga South MP Joel Gabbuza (MDC-T) said Parliament had been reduced to debating vending stands and toilets instead of serious issues.
“This means someone is not doing what they are supposed to do and Parliament has been brought down to the level of a city administrator instead of debating how to increase gross domestic product and salaries for civil servants,” he said.
Joseph Chinotimba, Buhera South MP (Zanu PF) said he could be a better Industry and Commerce minister.
“I would take all the vendors and put them in the abandoned industries so that they sell their wares there because you are not building proper infrastructure for them,” Chinotimba said.
