Gweru vendors resist evictions, accuse council of declaring war
GWERU vendors have vowed to resist evictions by the city council, which, on Wednesday, ordered them to move out of Kudzanayi Bus Terminus, NewZimbabwe.com has learnt.

In a notice to the traders, acting town clerk, Edgar Mwedzi. ordered the more than 1,000 vendors to vacate the bus rank saying their illegal structures would be demolished.

"This notice serves to advice all illegal traders at Kudzanayi bus terminus that their activities are illegal and they should move out.

“Council is going to demolish all illegal structures at Kudzanayi starting on March 17, 2016. Kindly remove your illegal tuck shops, Ecocash and soft drinks cabins and illegal kitchens," Mwedzi said in a notice placed at the bus terminus.

He said the vendors should move to a designated vending site where they would pay $1 per day as rent.

The council official said the illegal traders were disturbing bus operations at the city centre rank as well as posing a health hazard as they prepare and sell food in undesignated areas.

But on Thursday Gweru Hawkers and Vendors Association acting chairperson, Lovemore Tingati said council had declared war against vendors following the decision to evict them.

"This is an open declaration of war on vendors," Tingai said.

"Being a war, we are going to fight back and you can't rule out the shedding of blood, we are talking of sustaining livelihoods in a difficult economy."

Tingati said until council had put its house in order and properly allocated hawkers vending sites, they were going to "strongly resist the evictions."

A snap survey by NewZimbabwe.com on Thursday showed it was business as usual for the vendors, with the municipality police still to be unleashed on them.