Blitz drives out  CBD food vendors

vendorsInnocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
A blitz carried out by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Harare Municipal Police on food vendors in Harare since Tuesday has seen most of them heeding the call by city authorities to stop selling food to avoid spreading typhoid. The disease has already claimed two lives in Mbare and has been reported to have spread to nearby suburbs, although Government and the Harare City Council have since indicated it is now under control.

The vendors had running battles with the police in the last few days and had their wares confiscated in most cases.

The incessant rains, which are pounding the capital, also played a part in discouraging the vendors, as they created conditions not conducive for street vending.

Council police were still visible on the streets yesterday, confiscating food items and pushcarts from a remnant of the illegal vendors who defied the ultimatum to leave.

Confiscated food items included fruits, meat, maize, fish and vegetables, which were being destroyed at the Harare Municipal Police headquarters.

The city’s acting corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme yesterday paid tribute to the vendors who have complied, but said the operation would continue to weed out those who return.

“Most vendors are now complying with our ultimatum and have since stopped food vending,” he said.

“Some illegal vendors who were selling other wares have also relocated from the pavements to designated vending sites.

“The operation continues. We want to applaud the general behaviour of illegal vendors during this period and we encourage them to keep complying.”

Mr Chideme said council had embarked on a major clean up campaign targeting illegal dumps in most suburbs.

To date, the city has cleared dumps in Budiriro and Glen Norah and yesterday it was clearing dumps at Mbare Musika.

Mr Chideme said council will be strict on the enforcement of anti-litter by-laws, which allow the city to fine home owners in the vicinity of illegal dumps.

The blitz comes after an inter-ministerial committee last week pronounced a cocktail of measures to fight the spread of typhoid and other water-borne diseases.

The ministers of Health and Child Care; Local Government, Public Works and National Housing; Environment, Water and Climate and Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development make up the inter-ministerial committee, which also includes Harare mayor Mr Bernard Manyenyeni.

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