The National Vendors Union Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) has noted with great concern the forced attendance of vendors at the Zanu (PF) Million Man march held yesterday in Harare.
We are concerned that in violation of their constitutional rights, vendors were forced to leave their businesses and attend the Zanu (PF) event which was held as a show of solidarity with the party’s leader, President Robert Mugabe.
As a result of the forced attendance, many vendors were left counting their losses after they had been forced to close shop and attend the Million Man march.
As NAVUZ, we implore the ruling party to uphold citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of assembly and association as defined under Section 58 (2) of the country’s constitution which stipulates that “No person may be compelled to belong to an association or to attend a meeting or gathering”.
NAVUZ is disturbed over the continued manipulation of vendors who are often forced to attend Zanu (PF) events or face eviction from their selling places in the event that they defy the order from the ruling party.
We are also concerned over the intimidation of some vendors who defied the order to attend the million man march.
To us as NAVUZ, the continued manipulation and victimization of vendors by the ruling party reveals nothing but the indifference of those in the echelons of power to the plight of suffering Zimbabweans seeking to eke a living out of vending at a time unemployment is estimated at over 90 percent due to a failing economy.
We are concerned that on a daily basis, vendors are victimized by municipal cops and government officials continue to declare war on vending yet when it comes to political events, the same government manipulates the desperate vendors to boost attendance at political events.
As NAVUZ, we shall continue to fight for the formalization of the informal sector and we shall continue engaging the government so that victimization of vendors and the confiscation of their goods is stopped forthwith.
