How a market became a microcosm of Zim’s political battles
Violent turf wars between Zanu-PF and Citizens Coalition for Change gangs closed down Harare’s biggest second-hand clothes market. With elections set for next month, conflict in the area is expected to escalate
20 July 2023 - 05:00
Harare’s high-density suburb of Mbare is strangely silent — the cacophony of traffic that once surrounded the Mupedzanhamo market and the shouts of the touts are absent. For the past seven months, the thriving second-hand clothing market has been closed.
Up until two months ago, piles of car tyres still barricaded the main road to the market — a makeshift roadblock manned by three anti-riot policemen. Another barricade prevented access to the far side of the market. They’d been there since October...
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