The traders
sought assistance in resolving a myriad of challenges they are facing at the
newly constructed Mbare Musika retail market, which they attributed to the
privatisation of the facility by fortune seekers.
In a letter
dated August 18, the informal traders raised serious complaints about
exorbitant charges, exclusion of original beneficiaries, reduced space sizes of
market stalls and refusal to accept rental fees in local currency, among
others.
“Knowing your
warm heart, we are looking forward to your usual assistance,” part of the
letter read. The letter was signed by Roderick Maposah, the Mbare retail market
chairman, secretary Josiah Rovai and Stephen Tsopo, a security officer.
It was copied
to Local Government minister Daniel Garwe, Harare Provincial Affairs minister
Charles Tawengwa and Harare mayor Jacob Mafume.
Garwe is said
to have reacted angrily to the traders’ decision to approach Chiwenga directly
without going through his ministry. The minister is one of the leading
proponents of Zanu PF’s 2030 agenda to keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in
power beyond his constitutionally guaranteed terms in what is said to be a
strategy to stop the VP’s ascendancy to the presidency.
The traders
said they had been facing a number of challenges since the market was declared
a state of disaster by Mnangagwa after it was gutted by a fire in October last
year.
According to
the letter, a handful of the traders benefitted, while nearly 70% of the
affected beneficiaries were allegedly sidelined by Masimba Holdings.
The private
player was accused of using its financial muscle to elbow out the elderly and
less privileged.
The traders
also claimed that licensing fees at the market now include US$150 deposit on
rent, a weekly rent of US$50, a US$1 fee for every visit to the toilet and a
monthly parking fee of US$240 in addition to the taxes the vendors are obliged
to pay, charges which they said were beyond the reach of many.
“The rates
pegged by the private player of US$200 per month is far too high compared to
the US$25 the elderly and childheaded retailers were being charged by the
council,” the letter reads.
“The private
player strictly needs payment in foreign currency (USD) whereas the council
accepted all currencies including our local Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG} currency.
“The private
player’s lease conditions are too harsh and naturally don't make business
sense.
“The private
player reduced the space size from the traditional 2,5 mx2m to only 1,2mx1,2 m
despite increasing the monthly fees.”
The letter
added: “We are against the construction of a three-story building that was said
to accommodate 10,000 retailers at a very small space hence recommending a
clearly marked open shade that makes more business sense.”
On Monday when
Garwe received the letter from the traders, The Standard heard that he
immediately summoned them to his office for a meeting and complained why they
wrote a letter to his political foe Chiwenga before bringing the issue to him.
“Four traders
went to the Local Government ministry where they held a meeting with permanent
secretary John Bhasera and a director in the ministry,” a source disclosed.
“Bhasera agreed
to form a task force to investigate the complaints. The team went to Mbare on
Wednesday on a fact-finding mission. Garwe wants to contain the situation as
quickly as possible.”
The traders
said they did not get a favourable outcome during the meeting. “No agreement,
no outcome,” Rovai, who is the secretary of the Mbare retail market, said
yesterday. Standard
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