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| Vengai Chauke holding a knobkerrie |
Cephas Shava
MWENEZI- Two Mwenezi Rural District
Council (RDC) Environmental Monitors (EMs) had to run for their dear lives
after a vendor whom they had cornered at Rutenga Growth Point drew a knobkerrie
from his banana cart and charged towards them.
On
Tuesday, March 23, Rutenga Growth Point business owners and passersby had a
free spectacle as council officials had to scour for cover.
Vengai
Chauke, who was plying his trade under an Amarula tree which is adjacent to
Chingwanga supermarket, was approached by the EMs officers who were trying to
confiscate his cart.
The EMs
officers successfully took Chauke’s cart and as they were pushing it towards
the council offices, Chauke charged towards them armed with a knobkerrie and
managed to recover his cart.
Chauke
was shouting that he was trying to make an honest living by selling his bananas
and council officials should leave him alone.
“I have
not stolen anything from anyone. I am trying to earn an honest living so why
are you treating me like I am a thief?
“Don’t
mess with me you do not know what I am capable of,” shouted Chauke.
Contacted
for a comment over the duties of EMs, Mwenezi RDC Agriculture and Environmental
executive officer, Kudzai Sirewu said besides monitoring various environmental
issues, EMs are also helping in the maintenance of sanity around growth points
to ensure that vendors as well operates at designated points.
“In
towns you are aware that the duties of dealing with vendors is reserved for
municipality police.
“Here
in Mwenezi we are saying besides monitoring the environment EMs are also
responsible for helping in maintaining sanity around the growth points and
ensuring that vendors are complying in terms of operating from designated
points,” said Sirewu.
Over 200
Rutenga based vendors, whose makeshift structures were destroyed during the
early days of the national lockdown last year as per the order from the central
government, had been stranded as the local authority is yet to erect structures
for them to operate from.
So far,
only the fruits and vegetable market which accommodates less than half of the
affected is the only one functioning while the rest of other informal traders
are yet to have proper operating places.
This
has forced many to open markets at their residential areas while some continue
to ply their trades at undesignated points which are sprouting around Rutenga
Growth Point.
