By ZANU PF’s Provincial Development Coordinator for Harare Metropolitan Province Tafadzwa Muguti, Local Government minister July Moyo and the Minister of State and Devolution Affairs Oliver Chidawu ordered the recent demolition of vendors’ stalls in Chitungwiza, Mbare, Ruwa and Mbudzi Round about.
Code named operation Murambatsvina 2 by political activists and opposition members, the demolitions have destroyed thousands of people’s sources of livelihoods and shelter.
In an interview with the state-run Television, ZTN, on 3 June 2021, Muguti clearly stated that the government would unleash its team to destroy all the informal businesses and houses purported to have been built on “undesignated sites”.
Adding that vendors and home owners risk losing their wares if they don’t pay attention to the government’s orders.
His live video interview on ZTN Facebook and YouTube Channel which gave the now affected people only three days to rescue their goods was reinforced by a press statement released on the same day of his interview.
“The Provincial Development Directorate for the Government in Harare Metropolitan Province has noted with great concern the rising number of unregistered informal traders of furniture, bricks, sand, quarry stones and car sales businesses operating along road servitudes. We hereby inform all occupants of road servitudes that they have until Sunday the 7″ of June 2021 to vacate and remove all their property, vehicles and destroy any infrastructure erected on road servitudes,” reads part of Muguti’s press statement.
The demolition spree execution at the instigation of Muguti involved the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development.
Under the instruction of Muguti and the local government, the aforementioned state institutions assisted in the demolition of people’s livelihoods and residential properties.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development and all respective local authorities namely City of Harare, Chitungwiza Municipality, Ruwa Local Board and Epworth Local Board shall therefore enforce a Province wide joint operation from Monday the 8″ of June 2021,” Muguti said.
“We have also noted with concern statements and videos circulating on social media of politicians and activists intimidating Town Clerks whilst encouraging resistance, lawlessness and inciting violence complaining there are no council resolutions to enforce the Roads Act.
“We encourage such people not to be ignorant but to actually know and respect the law including council by-laws. We do not need council resolutions as Government to enforce the law, we expect councils likewise to enforce all laws of the land within their localities,” he added.
Meanwhile, the MDC Alliance which have been accused of running these local authorities has on several occasions distanced itself from this callous war against the already struggling citizens.
After paying a visit to the affected people in Mbare, MDC Alliance secretary for Local Government Sesel Zvidzai said:
“We are in Mbare here witnessing the extensive destruction of people’s livelihoods, thousands of people are left desperate and without an option. We condemn operation Murambatsvina 2 which is happening here.”
He added that his party, MDC Alliance, condemns the action in the strongest possible terms as it left people with no survival options.
Zvidzai also said MDC Alliance’s agenda completely oppose the violent action at the instigation of Muguti and Chidawu.
“We need to empathize with the people, it’s fact that because of the collapsing economy, unemployment is on the increase and people are surviving on the informal economy.”
“Rather than destroy this we should actually be finding ways of improve the infrastructure to support the informal economy which I the only option that people have got.”
Shockingly, the same government through its political party, ZANU PF, on Monday hurriedly arranged a press briefing in a bid to give a false impression that there were never consulted and yet the process caught the attention of the local, regional and international audiences.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu alleged that no proper consultations were done prior to the destructions.
“This exercise was inhuman, and we have since noticed there were no proper consultations made before the exercise was mooted,” he said.
“The demolition of houses in Melfort by the Goromonzi Rural District Council must stop forthwith. Cabinet will discuss the matter tomorrow (Tuesday) to explore an amicable solution,” Mpofu said.
The ZANU PF has a propensity of blaming the opposition and political activists for its missteps.
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