Deputy Minister to act on High Court vendor wares ruling

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter

Local Government and Public Works Deputy Minister, Dr Marian Chombo has pledged to ensure that Chegutu Municipality implements a 2019 High Court ruling directing them to return wares it had confiscated from vendors in the town’s central business district.

The ruling by the High Court followed an application by Godwin Mhiwa and 105 others challenging their eviction from their vending sites in the CBD.

During Wednesday’s question and answer session in the National Assembly, Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna asked Dr Chombo what Government was doing to ensure the enforcement of the ruling passed by Justice Tawanda Chitapi on December 24, 2019.

“My ministry, like any other ministry, abides by the law. If there was a judgement that was passed as you (Cde Nduna) alluded to, we encourage our local authorities to abide by that judgement. As such, I am going to make it a point that I visit Chegutu Municipality which you have highlighted, to see to it that they implement the judgement,” Dr Chombo said.

The applicants cited the Municipality of Chegutu and Officer Commanding, ZRP Chegutu District as first and second respondent respectively.

“The first respondent releases the applicants’ goods in the presence of their legal practitioner upon positive identification of such goods by applicants. (b) If applicants intend to continue vending within Chegutu Municipality CBD they shall do so at the designated formal sites along Station Street and not return to the sites from which they were evicted,” Justice Chitapi said in his ruling.