The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
UNSCRUPULOUS space barons have re-emerged in Harare’s Central Business District where they are collecting money from desperate vendors before illegally allocating them vending space on council land, without the knowledge of the city’s authorities.
Investigations by The Sunday Mail revealed that corrupt space barons are taking advantage of desperate vendors who are made to pay “rentals” in return for smooth operations within the CBD.
Some space barons are allegedly working in connivance with some members of the Harare Municipal Police force while some officers are actually afraid of arresting these dealers because of their alleged political connections.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Mr Michael Chideme, says council is now aware of the illegal dealings and will deal with the perpetrators.
“All vendors trading on council land should pay directly to council. Vendors should refuse to pay money to third parties and they should actually cause the arrest of people taking money from them illegally,” said Mr Chideme.
The Sunday Mail spoke to a municipal police officer who revealed how they are “always threatened by the space barons.”
“There is a lady by the name Mai Khumalo, she is well known especially in the downtown area around Park Street and she is always threatening us that she is linked to powerful politicians. The other ones are Marufu and Chikomo who have a habit of name dropping,” said the municipal police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
When President Mnangagwa opened up the informal sector to relax lockdown regulations in March, he emphasised on the need for the informal sector to observe Covid-19 containment measures such as wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.
