Demolitions must be fair to all

THE demolitions currently taking place in Harare and Chitungwiza are a thorn in the flesh. Informal traders’ livelihoods have been trashed.

Things are tough and we have hit a brick wall. The masses are at the receiving end regardless of political affiliation.

The people have suffered for long. Yes, patience is a virtue, but the suffering is now unbearable.

For how long should we keep watching when our sources of income and accommodation are being demolished? No employment is being created and government fat cats continue to loot and plunder public resources with reckless abandon. The situation is now like a cancer. Why are we in this state? It is anybody’s guess that no one is happy with the status quo where some animals appear more special than others. Eking out a living is tough nowadays.

Politicians are letting us down. For the past 41 years, life has never been rosy under the leadership of Zanu PF, particularly in the last 20 years. It is like we have been staying in hell.

People built illegal structures because government had dismally failed to play its role of providing an enabling environment for employment creation and the provision of shelter. Demolishing people’s structures is not the solution but a sign of cruelty on the part of government. It seems the pain is only meant for ordinary citizens who are failing to make ends meet.

For the past 20 years, nothing tangible has happened in terms of development in our country. Politicians are turning a blind eye to the economic rot. Instead, they are wasting energy on flimsy issues like demanding the repatriation of our forebears’ skulls and bones that are in United Kingdom museums.

The masses have had enough of demolitions, dating back to the days of Operation Murambatsvina in 2005, which solved nothing, but only settled political scores.

If the government is serious about restoring order, the illegal settlers who occupied Nyatsime Housing Scheme stands should have long been removed from the site. Taendesa Rovai