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The Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province, Senator Oliver Chidau has stressed that ZANU-PF does not tolerate space barons most of whom had encouraged the construction of illegal structures in Mbare and were extorting money from the people operating in these structures.
He was speaking to the media yesterday on the demolition of illegal structures in Mbare and the cessation of the activities of the space barons.
Last week, Harare City Council, with the assistance by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) demolished illegal vendors’ market stalls and tuckshops in Mbare and regained control of public toilets which had been forcibly taken over by space barons who were charging members of the public a premium to get access to the toilets.
Minister Chidau said their position was that the local authority must be able to collect revenue from its facilities and spaces and boost its coffers in order to help improve service delivery.
“Currently, we have rogues who are besmirching the names of political parties falsely claiming to have endorsement from political parties to collect money from informal traders, public toilets, and bus ranks. In particular, there are rogues claiming to have the endorsement of the ruling ZANU PF to collect money yet this is false and the Party does not have any link whatsoever to these individuals.
“Let me take this opportunity to make it clear that ZANU PF does not tolerate indiscipline of the sort that is being perpetrated by these space barons and has never received any money from these individuals,” he said.
Regarding the public toilets, he said, they were not against mutually beneficial public-private partnerships between enterprising individuals and the councils but will not accept the hostile takeover of public facilities by rogues abusing the names of politicians or political parties.
“May I hasten to say that we are mindful of the need to provide alternate workspaces for people who are affected by the removal of illegal structures. To this end we are liaising with the City of Harare to identify new areas where traders can be relocated and have a mutually beneficial working arrangement with the local authority,” added Minister Chidau.
There are other options, he said, that are currently being discussed with the Harare City Council highlighting that Mupedzanhamo informal traders market is going to be opened shortly.
He reiterated that they were committed to providing safe workspaces to traders and affording them an opportunity for beneficial working partnerships with the local authorities which as a result attracts more investment.
“It is our intention to improve the governance culture and ensure compliance with the rule of law within our jurisdiction. It is only by restoring order that we can attract both domestic and foreign investment and ultimately achieve an upper-middle-income society as envisaged by Vision 2030.”