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Joseph Madzimure and Blessings Chidakwa
The Mupedzanhamo flea market area in Mbare was still cordoned off yesterday, with police closely monitoring the area following clashes orchestrated by thugs claiming allegiance to the CCC party that left one Zanu PF cadre dead and several other traders seriously injured.
Political parties and analysts have since condemned the violence unleashed by the CCC gang over four days that saw stalls and wares being burnt, while traders and local residents lost valuables.
The gang was demanding protection fees from vendors and traders so they could be allowed to operate and those who refused were assaulted and had their stalls and wares burned.
The violence that erupted in Mbare comes as the opposition, civic society and some Western embassies have been trying to score cheap political goals ahead of the peaceful harmonised elections set for next year.
The Mupedzanhamo area yesterday was calm with a few traders assembling their wares anticipating the reopening of the market and opening of temporary market sites around the market.
Cripps Road was clear of both human and vehicular traffic.
Close to noon, two teargas canisters were thrown to disperse rowdy elements that were defying instructions from the police to vacate the market area awaiting a proper opening, but by lunchtime the situation had normalised.
A trader, Mr John Chinyanga, said they attempted to open in the morning.
“I came with my goods, but there were two teargas canisters that were thrown and I quickly vacated. Our wish is for the market to be reopened. We are now starving,” he said.
Another trader, Mrs Evelyn Gumbo, said it was now close to a week with the market closed and that had left them incapacitated.
“I have two children that require transport money daily, but since the closure of the market I have been incapacitated,” she said.
A vendor who preferred to be identified as Jah Trigger, who lost a laptop while his brother lost two cellphones in the violent skirmishes, said reopening of the market was the way to go.
“A day to us is so precious that we cannot afford to lose it,” he said.
“Imagine now with four days of no work. The culprits are well known and some have been arrested so I see no reason why we are still denied the chance to sell.”
Analyst Mr Alex Munyonga yesterday said the Mupedzanhamo violence should be condemned in the strongest terms, saying it sets a very bad tone ahead of 2023 harmonised elections.
“The politico-economic temperature of Zimbabwe should be maintained at an optimum,” he said.
“It is no one, but us as Zimbabwean citizens, who have the mandate of nourishing a peaceful Zimbabwe. The spirit of hunhu/ubuntu calls for dialogue as the best ingredient for solving disputes. Dialogue enhances reasoned conflict resolution, thus clipping the wings of emotions. It is when emotions override reasoning that chaos ensures.”
A culture of thievery, bullying and hooliganism, Mr Munyonga said, should be banished.
“It is greedy, individualism and selfish mentality that push individuals into space grabbing and subsequent violent encounters,” he said.
“Perpetrators of Mupedzanhamo violence are, in earnest, enemies of the State.”
“They are a cancer bend on tainting the image of Zimbabwe ahead of 2023 elections. It is in fact unnecessarily attracting international attention towards Zimbabwe for the bad reason.
“It is motivating that the law enforcements agencies have since arrested some of the culprits. It is my submission that perpetrators of violence and arson should receive sentences that are deterrent enough to would be violent kingpins.”
Labour, Economists and African Democrats leader Linda Masarira said CCC youth causing havoc at Mupedzanhamo market should face the wrath of the law.
“Their leaders should call them to order,” she said. “We are trying to have a peaceful environment in our communities therefore it is imperative for CCC leader Nelson Chamisa to be able to call his youth to order.
“We see the hand of CCC councillors in trying to gain control of Mupedzanhamo and trying to by-pass council regulations, so that they personally benefit by collecting US$5 per table a day.
“Chamisa has to take the lead in calling for peace ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections. We expect the law enforcement agents to apprehend the culprits.”
MDC-T spokesperson, Mr Lloyd Damba, said as a party they condemned violence, either physical or cyber bullying, name calling and slogans that cause violence and engender class hate.
Zimbabweans needed to learn to solve their problems peacefully than to try and solve them through violence, he said.
“The reason why we are pushing for rational disputation and dialogue in this country is to move away from the culture of violence that had become part of solving our political problems,” he said.
“We condemn the violence at Mupedzanhamo and any other place by any political party for whatever reason. We regret the loss of life at Mupedzanhamo over a market stall. That person who died did not deserve to die over such issues.”
Mr Damba said CCC members should stop from engaging in violence of whatever nature.
“Zimbabwe has seen enough violence during the liberation struggle and now for someone to try and secure to engage in violence and kill a person in the process is totally wrong,” he said.
Ms Apphia Musavengana said violence had no place in Zimbabwe.
“Let the law take its course,” he said. “We cannot be a lawless country because of selfish individuals who want to tarnish the image of the country. It’s sad to see youths being used by politicians to kill one another.”
President Mnangagwa is on record saying violence has no place in the Second Republic and any violent characters should face the full wrath of the law.
Online Reporter