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Inside Mbare’s opaque economy: Privatisation of the public infrastructure, thriving of

terror gangs and breeding ground for political violence

Violence in Mbare has its origins in the manner in which commercial trading space is

allocated and leased by the bureauocrats in the Harare City Council (HCC). It often takes the

identity of political violence because those in control of economic opportunities in the area

are allegedly affiliated with the ruling Zanu PF and allocate these resources and opportunities

based on political affiliation. Economic opportunities are suspected to be used as an incentive

or punishment by ruling party activists to coerce people into subscribing into the Zanu PF

membership.

 

Violence  hot  spots  in  Mbare

While it was clear violence is used at Mbare and most traders were living in fear, it was also

clear that most of the vendors interviewed accepted to pay protection fees to continue

operating and to access economic opportunities.

High unemployment rates have placed pressure on the demand for market stalls and trading

space at the lucrative Mbare market creating business for space barons who decide who

trades at the market. Millions of dollars are said to exchange hands at Mbare musika which

comprises of a bus terminus, flea market, vegetable market and manufacturing section.

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The vast economic opportunities offered by the place have seen the emergence of terror

gangs, some of which have suspected links to the ruling party collecting ‘street taxes’ from

traders and vendors either as protection fees or as contributions to the ruling party for various

activities.

A racket involving council officials at Remembrance House and other influential members of

the community is alleged to be in charge of allocating commercial trading space. The lease

holders in turn are reported to employ Zanu PF youths to collect rentals on their behalf and

‘maintain order’ in the market. A vendor who talked to this research questioned how officials

at Remembrance House afford the top of the range vehicles that are seen parked in the staff

car park.

One such group is the dreaded ‘Chipangano’ but the leadership of the group is fluid and

difficult to pin down. Chairperson Changara, Bernard, Terry Guns amongst other names

emerged as leaders of the practice. Another group known as ‘Boko Haram’ is also reported to

be roaming the streets of Mbare collecting money from traders and violating people’s rights.

A number of gangs are loosely operating but all of them enjoying the protection of the ruling

party leadership of District 3 in Mbare.

To date this year the ZPP responded to and verified four cases of violence against traders at

Mbare Musika. All of them were politically motivated. One of the victims who filed a police

report said that traders are harassed and intimidated daily and are forced to attend ruling party

meetings but they prefer not to report it because they fear being victimised.

Zanu PF youths often collect rentals on behalf of leaseholders of council property within the

market place. HCC leases properties and space to some people who then sublet to informal

traders at inflated rentals. HCC spokesperson, Michael Chideme said council does not allow

subletting of its properties and would evict anyone found subletting. Party youths are engaged

because they are feared and are able to intimidate, harass and violate the rights of traders with

a degree of impunity as police do not act against them. Traders have to pay protection fees to

these youths for the authorities to turn a blind eye on the illegal use of commercial space.

Police officers who are called in when skirmishes break out are alleged to avoid arresting

ruling party youths. In cases where these youths are taken in no action is taken and they are

immediately released. In a matter reported to Mbare police RRB 3030122 where ruling party

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youths closed down a liquor store owned by a perceived opposition sympathiser and burnt

down property, investigations have stalled despite the perpetrators being openly known in the

community. The case has been transferred to Law and Order but the police officer assigned to

the case was said to be away. The youths accused of the violence were allegedly mobilising

$5 each to pay the police officers at Koffman in order for the supposed docket to disappear.

In another case RRB 3042207 known gang leaders in Mbare affiliated to the ruling party

disrupted a funeral but the police have asked the aggrieved family to drop charges. The gangs

in Mbare therefore thrive on the impunity and reluctance of law enforcement to act against

them. Some of the vendors and traders interviewed said soldiers and police officers also own

tables in the flea markets which contribute to their reluctance to act.

Who is doing this?

Some of these council lease holders employ ruling party militia in Mbare to collect rentals

from tenants. One such person is a Zanu PF member of District 3 identified as Chidziva who

is reported to be collecting money from transport operators. Chidziva collects money ($1)

from every bus that enters the bus terminus.

When our team went to Mbare to seek a stall to sell steel they were referred to one ‘Dread

Kumbie’ who is a ruling party youth member. Dread Kumbie agreed to give our researcher

space for $100 a month. The researcher was told that he could start operating as soon as he

had paid the rentals required. The property that Dread Kumbie was offering for leasing

belongs to the HCC. There were five other individuals selling different wares on the

premises.

A woman identified as Mai Mahoka owns several tables at the flea market popularly known

as Mupedza Nhamo and she has her runners who have to cash in daily collections to her.

Those who default face harassment from the party youths who are tasked with collecting

rentals.

The HCC which is the custodian of most of the properties at Mbare musika has lost control of

the situation. Although leases are given to one occupant the reality in Mbare is that there are

six to ten occupants per stall. Each tenant renting stall space from a space baron pays between

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$150 and $200 a month. Meanwhile the leaseholders pay as little as $60 a month to council

for use of the commercial place at Mupedzanhamo flea market.

Carter House which is used as a guest house for farmers and other travellers who arrive in

Mbare using long distance buses has been taken over by the ruling party youths who sublet

some of the rooms. The youths who are always seen milling around the premises wearing

party regalia collect revenue for the property. The HCC insists that subletting is against

council policy and those caught will be removed from all council property. The most

expensive room at Carter House costs $12 but these figures are often inflated.

A man identified as Gore was implicated in the practice of collecting money from traders in

order to allocate them commercial space to sell their products. He was said to be working

with Jim Kunaka who once stopped the activities after he was expelled from the ruling Zanu

PF. Another tout identified only as Mhofu allegedly collects money at Murombedzi Bus

Terminus in the Mbare bus terminus. Although transport operators frown upon the abuse they

have to cooperate with him in order to continue accessing the lucrative pick up point.

At Matererini Flats, there are barbershops by the roadside mainly owned and operated by

foreign nationals who are charged protection fees by the local leadership of the ruling party.

Harare Province Zanu PF political Commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe referred all

questions to the local Mbare leadership which he said is on the ground. Efforts to speak to

Edison Takataka, Harare province youth chairperson were unsuccessful.

Violence

The opaque nature in which influential politicians and other state actors have taken over

trading space in Mbare has led to the politicisation of trading in the area. The youths they

employ to collect rentals on their behalf employ violent methods to enforce compliance. They

have also turned these trading spaces into Zanu PF cells where informal traders are forced to

be holders of Zanu PF membership cards and also to attend party events and national events

such as Independence celebrations.

In September 2016 Harare Zanu PF youth leader, Edison Takataka openly asked President

Mugabe if the party youths could be allowed to take over all the bus ranks in the city to

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maintain law and order. These youths extort money from transport operators at these pick up

points.

Zanu PF offices

There are at least three ruling party offices within Mbare Musika. These offices are used as

party bases by the ruling party youths. In Koffman Plot where a liquor store was attacked a

few weeks ago there is a Zanu PF office nearby. Ruling party youths declared the area a no

go area for MDC-T supporters. There is no other political party that has an office in the area

except the ruling Zanu PF.

Coerced attendance of party events, meetings and national events

On Independence Day, Mbare flea market was closed as all traders were required to attend

the Independence celebrations. Registers are kept at cell level and those who do not attend

party sanctioned events risk losing their trading spaces. During President Mugabe’s million

men march event traders were also forced to close shop and attend the event. Cell meetings

are also regularly held at Mbare musika and traders are required to attend.

Conclusion

Unless the city council intervenes to stop subletting of its properties the rent seeking activities

of space barons and their militia gangs will continue. The politicisation of commerce at

Mbare has resulted in human rights violations and cases of political violence which could see

an upward spiral as the 2018 elections approach. The situation got worse in the last few years

with the government encouraging citizens to be self–employed. The youths use the ruling

party as a shield from being arrested by police by claiming to be advancing the empowerment

agenda.