By Misheck Shambare

The economic situation currently prevailing in the country has made us blind that we cannot see some other good things such as sanity in our areas which the Harare City Council is trying to advocate for.

Harare City Council recently announced that the keeping of chickens in the back yard of the houses especially in the high density areas was illegal which has been received with mixed feelings from the general public.`

Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo recently said they are going to move vendors from each and every street corner to designated vending stalls.

National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe is encouraging their members not to move away from their ordinary trading sites arguing that the vending sites to be built will only cater for 6000 vendors at the same time they have more than 20000 vendors.

As much we want to disagree with the authorities on restoring sanity it remains still a good thing for them to initiate of which the timing is wrong because e of the economic challenges currently being experienced in the country.

Through their Facebook page, Harare Residents Trust (HRT) said the latest directive from the council is a way of fundraising because they know those most unemployed residents’ rear chickens for survival.

“They will charge them for alleged illegal activities, yet for all these years, they never enforced their archaic by-law. Residents have to demand explanations from their elected representatives who are always being misled by the council officials,” said HRT.

NAVUZ has come out guns blazing against the city councils directive to remove their vendors from the street saying if they are going to be provoked they will retaliate.

One may ask on what’s wrong with the city councils directive to restore sanity in areas which are deteriorating in terms of standards and the hygienic conditions of people.

Harare Mayor Chancellor Benard Manyenyeni responding on the matter said their directive is meant to protect the city and the health of people.

“We operate on the laws as applicable until a review is necessary as seems to be the case and we must explore possibilities in line with our failed economy.

“We have a duty to protect a city and also to accommodate emerging realities but taking all views on board social economic professional opinions,” he said.

Kudakwashe Kuwaza commented on the matter and supported the City Councils actions to protect the city.

“The economic situation has made us a little blind to some not so good things and I support the council on this.

“We just have to start doing things e right way,” he said.

However some residents who responded on the issue said the city council should focus on other issues of service delivery such as addressing the issue of potholes rather than banning certain things that are making people survive in this dire economic situation.

Emporer Sellasie said “Surely you can’t tell me that the fowl run next door will lead to a cholera outbreak whilst you are standing on a mountain of uncollected garbage whilst there is a flowing sewage passing through my house because of a burst sewer pipe.

“Let’s get our priorities right, portholes everywhere leading to road accidents and loss of lives and you worry about chickens in my backyard surely these are missed priorities,” he added.

These attempts by the city council to maintain hygienic conditions have been received with great criticism from the general public because of the continued economic woes.

With unemployment rate continuing to soar to over 85 percent according to independent analysts, many people are now surviving on these things such as keeping chickens and vending which has led to the rise of the activities.

People have forgotten to keep their hygienic conditions safer but they have no other way to survive the unemployment crisis which have stricken them.