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Samantha Chigogo Herald Reporter
Violence erupted in Harare’s central business district yesterday afternoon after vendors attacked municipal police for confiscating their goods in an operation meant to clean up the city. Municipal police have been involved in running battles with the few vendors resisting relocation and the gravity of yesterday’s clashes forced the temporary closure of businesses along Nelson Mandela Avenue and First Street.

Vendors expressed their anger by violently throwing stones at city council officials and anyone else whom they suspected to be council staff. Some of the people sustained serious injuries while some buildings had their windows damaged. In an interview yesterday, Harare city principal communications officer Mr Michael Chideme condemned the acts of violence saying council would not be deterred from dealing with illegality.

“We are worried about the lawlessness being expressed by these defiant vendors. We are not fighting vendors but they are on a mission to fight us which is against the law,” he said. “Right now we have several municipal police officers that were attacked earlier today and amongst these one officer in particular Mrs Pamela Chipendo has been hospitalised following the brutal assaults by vendor maniacs in the streets,” he said.

Mr Chideme added that genuine vendors had relocated to designated vending sites and those resisting relocation had hidden political motives. “With the way that these vendors are striking our police officers in the streets, it is quite clear that some of them have hidden political agendas that they are trying to push forward,” he said.

“We appeal to political parties to discourage their supporters and members from street violence and attacking the police officers as doing so only serves to tarnish the image of the city and that of the country.” Mr Chideme also called on informal traders to co-operate with municipal police carrying out their duties.

He blamed vendors for defying city rules and regulations leading to the confiscation of their goods. “Very often, it is the ‘attackers’ who cry out the loudest in an attempt to blemish the good image of the municipal police officers,” he said. “We asked vendors to move to designated areas but a few stubborn traders chose to be defiant. Hence their goods end up being confiscated by our municipal police doing their duties to clean up the streets.”

It could not be ascertained whether or not police had made any arrests.