The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has expressed concern at the ongoing demolitions stalls built by informal traders by the City of Harare.
In a statement, the human rights pressure group said the manner in which the demolitions are being carried is cruel.
“ZimRights is deeply disturbed by the destruction of people’s only sources of livelihoods by the Harare City Council aided by the Zimbabwe Republic police. While City Council claims the structures are illegal, the manner of the demolitions is inhumane as it amounts to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment which is prohibited in section 53 of the Constitution.
“Some of the small business owners were not given the opportunity to remove their wares from the destroyed structures, resulting in them loosing thousands of dollars’ worth of goods and condemning them to poverty.” said ZimRights
The destructions, ZimRights said were a major concern for environment to the citizens and comes on the backdrop of poor service delivery by the Harare Council.
“The demolitions also caused air pollution and noise pollution for the people in the Mbare environment without warning them. Citizens are also appalled that a council that has failed to collect garbage, that has failed to address the pothole problems and that is failing to provide clean water, has resources to enable destruction of ratepayers’ sources of livelihoods.
“ZimRights reminds council and the police that it is the failure by government to improve the economic situation, the failure by council to provide vending places for the ballooning numbers of citizens out of employment who are trying to eke a living through buying and selling wares that has pushed citizens to construct these “illegal structures,” noted the group.
ZimRights added “Authorities should know that for the majority of the citizens vending is the last resort and given opportunities, citizens would also want formal jobs. Zimbabwe has a legacy of destroying people’s livelihoods instead of improving the lives of its citizens.
“ZimRights is calling on government and local authorities to address the root causes of the economic problems the country is facing instead of trying to address the symptoms. ZimRights is urging government to respect the Right to Life by ensuring that people’s sources of livelihoods are protected and improved.”
According to the pressure group in 2005, government’s Operation Murambatsvina left over 700 000 Zimbabweans homeless and without any source of livelihoods and some still destitute up to today.
