Upenyu Chaota/Lloyd Shunje
Two vendors were hospitalised yesterday after they clashed with button stick wielding municipal police officers who wanted to arrest them for illegal vending in the Central Business District (CBD).
Injured vendors who sustained serious injuries are still being treated at Masvingo General Hospital.
Eyewitnesses to the incident said when municipal police arrived near N. Richards Wholesale, they started beating vendors who were refusing to have their potatoes confiscated.
“They accused us of interfering in their duty but they were the ones who arrived and started pushing us around. In every action there is bound to be a reaction.
“We had to defend ourselves from the barbaric council officers. They even attacked a woman who was coming from doing her shopping,” said an airtime vendor who identified herself as Mai Tino.
Vendors clashing with vendors in the CBD yesterday
The council officers managed to handcuff one man facing heavy resistance from the vendors leading to the cuffed man breaking away.
Feeling threatened, the council officers drove off to regroup before coming back after about twenty minutes, this time unleashing button sticks on everyone in the way.
Vendors clashing with vendors in the CBD yesterday
The officers randomly attacked everyone including passer-byes which triggered heavy emotions leaving many people baying for municipal officers’ blood.
The people fought back and they outnumbered officers were left without option besides taking to their heels. Some officers had to seek refuge in the nearby Steward Bank before the police came to calm the storm .
Two municipal police were arrested for beating people. two council officers at the scene.
The police could not be drawn into commenting about the incident.local
