TATENDA CHIKARA IN BULAWAYO
A Bulawayo man, Prosper Munemo, one of the three vendors shot and injured by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) security in a market raid three weeks ago, is appealing for assistance.
Munemo was shot in the stomach during a protest by vendors who were against the council’s decision to confiscate their wares at the 5 Avenue vending site.
He is still bed ridden.
“My situation is now unbearable as I cannot do anything to fend for my family. From food to rent all is looked upon me since I am the bread winner. It is now almost one month since the time I was shot, my family is now hopeless.
“I plead with the government to assist me get through this agony and if possible I wish that the perpetrators can compensate me as I survive on hand to mouth jobs. If the situation persists even my children will suffer so much,” Munemo told Business Times in an interview.
He added: “I don’t even know how I am going to manage the hospital bills. I have been sleeping at home since the time I got out of the hospital.
An eye witness during the incident on condition of anonymity told Business Times that it was not business as usual as they woke up early morning of February 23 to see council security advising people that they were not sanctioned to sell their wares at the market.
“We only woke up on 23 February to do our daily business at the market, to our surprise it was packed with council police advising us that we were doing business illegally. That’s when people started mobilizing themselves for a protest which resulted in several people getting injured,” he said.
The case is still at the Bulawayo courts and two weeks ago the Bulawayo regional magistrate, Joseph Mabiza granted each of the nine BCC security ZWL$50 000 bail when they appeared in court facing two counts of attempted murder.
