By Darlington Gatsi
RULING party Zanu PF frog marched vendors in Mbare Monday to attend a rally that was addressed by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
It was business unusual in Mbare as several vendors and small business owners were forced to close stalls to attend a rally that was held at Mbare Netball complex.
The rally marked the beginning of constituency based rallies that will be addressed by the Zanu PF presidium.
The ruling party is on a whirlwind of campaigns as they canvass for support ahead of August 23 elections.
Despite the cold weather, huge numbers turned up for the rally albeit at the expense of small businesses in Mbare.
Vendors in Mupedzanhamo area were forced to close and threats of violence were directed at them if they failed to heed the call.
There were also running battles between suspected Zanu PF youths and vendors who defied calls to attend the Chiwenga rally.
“We were forced by youths of vemusangano. But it is always like this when the ruling party is conducting a meeting totovhara (we close stalls),” said one vendor who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com on condition of anonymity.
Zanu PF is leaving nothing to chance as they look to maintain its stranglehold on power and capitalise on opposition weakness in urban areas.
Last week, Zanu PF allocated buses under Zimbabwe Passenger Company (ZUPCO) to ferry its supporters to Chipinge for a rally that was addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zanu PF provincial chairman, Godwills Masimerembwa dismissed the reports saying supporters attended the rally willingly.
“No one was forced to attend the rally. People love Zanu Pf and went to that rally willingly. No one was forced to close the Mupedzanhamo area. Blame should be blamed on the CCC Council that closed down the Mupedzanhamo market,” said Masimerembwa.
