Informal traders in Plumtree have called for political leaders who will address their grievances and improve their welfare.
Informal trading is fast growing in Zimbabwe with most people now involved in the sector.
Speaking to CITE, an informal trader said they want leaders who will uplift informal traders.
“We want leaders who will help us all, not those who think about their families only, who will also uplift us vendors not leaders who only look for us during elections,” she said.
“We want leaders who will be with us even when it’s not election time, who will know that there are certain people there, even if we go with our grievances, they can help us.”
She added that they expect leaders who will prioritize the health care system in the town.
Another vendor, Mutizhe, said they want leaders who will improve the health care system in the town.
“We want jobs, there is no medication in hospitals, we want hospitals to have medication, when people go to hospital, they are referred to surgery, it’s not everyone who can afford to go there,” she said.
Mutizhe added that they don’t want leaders who do vote buying the election season only.
“We want leaders who know people not only during elections, we don’t want this voter buying that is happening now where they look for old people giving them rice, where were they all along,” she said.
“We want leaders who will bring development when we vote for them, we want nice roads, we want jobs, we don’t want to have high-class and low-class citizens in society,”; said Mutizhe.
In addition, Nqobizitha Dlamini said they want public toilets as informal traders operating in Plumtree town.
“We are looking forward to leaders who will listen to our grievances, who will work for us. We have road issues, and we want our roads fixed, as vendors we don’t have public toilets, we want a public toilet, at the moment, toilet paper is all over the place even in our yards, as people use the bush to relieve themselves,” said Dlamini.
In response to the grievances, Ward 5 councillor Maxwell Washaya who is also a ZANU PF aspiring councillor for the same ward said elected leaders should have feedback meetings with the residents.
“It is true when a councillor is voted in, they should always be around people, for me in my ward I am always with the residents, we are always having feedback meetings where I update them on what will be happening in council, there is no time I stay away from the people,” said Clr Washaya.
“We are voted in by the people as councillors therefore, on my side when I went to primary elections, I was uncontested because they saw that even if they were to challenge me, they won’t manage to beat me in the primaries because I am always with my people assisting here and there.”
He said councillors are a bridge between the residents and the council.
“What I can tell the other candidates, those who want to come in, is that if you are voted in, continue assisting your people, continue visiting them, continue updating people because as a councillor you are a go between the residents and the council whereby you take grievances of the people to the council.”
Washaya added, “You take the developments happening in the town and challenges that are happening within our town to the people so that people understand their council so that the residents and the council go hand in hand without separation and a gap.”
He said it is the duty of the councillor to bring the residents closer to the council and also the council closer to the people so that the town develops.
