By Admore Mbonda in Kariba
Chinhoyi – A routine crackdown on illegal vending in the Central Business District spiraled into chaos yesterday afternoon, as municipal police and vendors clashed in a violent confrontation, leaving one officer injured.
Officer Virginia Mlambo reportedly sustained a suspected fractured leg after being attacked by vendors resisting eviction from unauthorized trading spots.
Eyewitnesses recounted how tensions flared when a vendor allegedly assaulted Mlambo with brooms, triggering a broader scuffle as other vendors joined in.
The violence escalated near the bus terminus, where two female vendors selling beer hurled stones at a municipal vehicle, causing significant damage.
Police swiftly arrested the initial attacker along with seven others suspected of involvement in the assault.
However, some observers questioned why the two women who incited the stone-throwing were not detained.
A council official, speaking on condition of anonymity, defended the officers’ actions, emphasizing that they were simply enforcing municipal regulations.
“They were informing vendors to clear their goods, but instead, they were met with hostility,” he said.
Chinhoyi Municipality spokesperson Tichaona Mlauzi confirmed being briefed on the incident, stating, “Some vendors resisted our operation, which aligns with government policy mandating vending at designated sites.”
As tensions persist between local authorities and informal traders, the violent encounter underscores the ongoing struggle to balance law enforcement with the economic realities of vendors who rely on street trading for survival.
About Author
