POLICE in Gweru on Monday evening fired teargas to disperse
crowds in the city’s central business district after violent clashes with
vendors who were resisting confiscation of their wares.
The skirmishes, which left scores of people injured in a
stampede as onlookers scurried for cover to escape the tear smoke, happened
along Robert Mugabe Avenue, near the Kudzanayi long distance bus terminus.
When Southern Eye news crew arrived at the scene, an
elderly woman was lying motionless amid reports she had collapsed after choking
on tear smoke.
Members of the public could be seen running along the
streets with the combative police milling around the scene armed with rifles.
Eyewitness said all hell broke loose when one of the
vendors whose wares had been confiscated threw himself in front of a vehicle
that was being used by the police officers in the operation and challenged the
driver to run over him.
“Generally, there seemed to be tension between the vendors
and the police. When one vendor threw himself in front of the vehicle that was
being used by police in the operation, hordes of people mobbed the cops,
demanding answers as to why they were being insensitive. People started
whistling and shouting during the commotion. So police fired teargas to
disperse the crowds, who were protesting against their actions,” an eyewitness
who declined to be named said.
Another eyewitness, Job Ngirandi, who is a vendor, said the
police’s actions of confiscating vendors’ wares triggered their actions.
Vendors last week petitioned Midlands Provincial Affairs
minister Larry Mavima to recover their wares they say were valued more than $40
000, which were confiscated by police last week.
Gweru Vendors’ Association chairperson Lovemore Reketayi
Tingaka told Southern Eye that the latest incident was unfortunate and will be
raised when they meet Mavhima on December 4.
“I was at my vending stall in the rank when the Monday
incident happened. I just saw smoke all over the place and within a short space
of time, I saw people running into the rank in huge numbers. We have raised
concern over the use of excessive force and the unfair operation by the police
with the minister and we will meet him on December 4 as per his request. People
whose wares were confiscated last week are yet to get them back,” he said.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko was said
to be out of office when sought for comment. His mobile phone was unreachable.
Newsday
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