HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) – In his three-piece suit, matching hat and bow tie, Farai Mushayademo could easily pass for a celebrity musician – if only his job didn’t involve dodging cars at a busy intersection in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, selling bottled water and potato chips to passing motorists.
Mushayademo’s distinctive dress sense, with a different shiny suit every day, makes him a darling of customers and helps him beat the “rising competition,” he said.
Massive joblessness in this once-prosperous southern African country has forced many to flood the streets, where they hawk anything from medicines to car parts. A good gimmick can help a vendor stand out from the crowd.
While such scenes are common throughout Africa, they are unusual in Zimbabwe, where vendors once were found only at legally designated stalls. Now, as the economy plunges, such order is breaking down.
Sidewalks in Harare and other cities and towns are hardly passable for pedestrians due to the high volume of vendors. Some plunge into the streets to target motorists.