Chitungwiza Council demolishes 500 stalls at Makoni under Operation Chenesa

In a statement on Monday, 21 September, the local authority said it removed illegal structures at Makoni after issuing several warnings through public notices and announcements made using megaphones.

During last week’s warnings, the council said some traders heeded the call and voluntarily removed their stalls, while others resisted or returned to the streets.

The Municipality said it removed various wood and metal structures that had been used for different purposes, including kitchens, tuckshops and clothing stalls. About 500 of the structures were being used for the sale of clothes.

The operation, according to the council, is also extending to other areas, including Seke South, St Mary’s and Zengeza, where some people have already complied and removed their stalls voluntarily.

The local authority said it has since started allocating affected traders to a designated trading area at Makoni as part of efforts to restore order and ensure that trading takes place at approved sites.

Commenting on the operation, former St Mary’s and Zengeza West MP, Job Sikhala, claimed that Makoni Shopping Centre had been “completely destroyed” and described the area as a gathering point for ZANU PF activists.

“Makoni Shopping Centre completely destroyed and this is the place where ZANU PF hooligans used to gather and organise terror gangs to attack innocent citizens of Chitungwiza. They were controlling these vendor stalls as if the country belongs to ZANU PF members only,” Sikhala said.

“Those who know what was happening at these places will tell you that it was the nest of ZANU PF thugs.”