By Takudzwa Changadeya
Vendors who operate at Mbare Musika, the major trading market in Harare, have condemned the ruling party, Zanu-Pf, for forcing them to attend their rallies.
The market place was deserted on Wednesday afternoon after traders were bused to a rally addressed by Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Freedom Square.
Some of the traders who spoke to Bustop TV revealed that they were forced to participate under the threat of loss market stalls.
“The truth is we were cornered into attending this rally against our will.
“Most of us never wanted to partake but they threatened us saying our livelihoods are at stake if we don’t show support to the President.
“Zanu-Pf members have made it clear that they have the power to impact our businesses negatively.” said one of the vendors.
Talking to Bustop TV, Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) Executive Director Samuel Wadzai confirmed that Mbare Musika was empty and not as busy as usual.
“Yes, Mbare Musika was empty today (Wednesday) and I can not confirm that our vendors had been coerced to attend the Zanu-Pf rally, but I suspect that something must have happened,” he said.
The alleged coercion to attend Zanu-Pf rallies has instigated a sense of frustration and anger within the vendor community.
Another vendor who spoke under the condition of anonymity argued that being forced to attend Zanu-Pf rallies interferes with their ability to run their businesses effectively.
“We are hungry, that’s why we wake up everyday making sure that we do something to make a living, so this coercion is a disturbances that we wish gone and not interfere with our trade,”
“Our involvement in politics should be a matter of personal choice, rather than being mandated or influenced by external forces, Zanu-Pf must stop that,” she said.
