Harare City Council plans to clear street sellers from downtown yet again tonight. The council asked the Zimbabwe Republic Police to help remove these sellers from city streets. Housing director Addmore Nhekairo mentioned they discussed zero selling downtown with the local government ministry. He stressed they needed proper resources for success and called it a serious plan backed by police support.
Zimbabwe faces huge job shortages that force many educated people to sell things on the streets just to survive. Previous cleanup attempts like Operation Chenesa Harare never fixed the problem. Sellers keep running from city trucks that take their stuff and arrest them. Last year, health services director Prosper Chonzi admitted they failed to stop street selling because of major money problems across Zimbabwe.
After tonight, we might see either the city finally winning or sellers continuing their streak. AfroGazette News reporters talked with sellers today about their feelings. Most seemed ready to fight back against the council's plans. Mai Machawi explained she needed to feed her family and had nowhere else to go. She thinks the government should create jobs instead of chasing people around like animals.
Sarah Chikwava sells second-hand clothes and believes the council makes empty threats without action. Privilege Moyo sells fruit downtown and said sellers will just move temporarily and return later. Tafadzwa Mhuru called themselves survivors not just sellers. The battle between Harare officials and street sellers continues without any solution to bigger problems like poverty and unfair wealth gaps. Streets remain contested spaces until someone addresses these deeper issues affecting everyone.
Zimbabwe faces huge job shortages that force many educated people to sell things on the streets just to survive. Previous cleanup attempts like Operation Chenesa Harare never fixed the problem. Sellers keep running from city trucks that take their stuff and arrest them. Last year, health services director Prosper Chonzi admitted they failed to stop street selling because of major money problems across Zimbabwe.
After tonight, we might see either the city finally winning or sellers continuing their streak. AfroGazette News reporters talked with sellers today about their feelings. Most seemed ready to fight back against the council's plans. Mai Machawi explained she needed to feed her family and had nowhere else to go. She thinks the government should create jobs instead of chasing people around like animals.
Sarah Chikwava sells second-hand clothes and believes the council makes empty threats without action. Privilege Moyo sells fruit downtown and said sellers will just move temporarily and return later. Tafadzwa Mhuru called themselves survivors not just sellers. The battle between Harare officials and street sellers continues without any solution to bigger problems like poverty and unfair wealth gaps. Streets remain contested spaces until someone addresses these deeper issues affecting everyone.
