By Flata Kavinga
Kwekwe Mayor Cllr Albert Zinhanga has called on shebeen operators in the city to regularise their activities by applying for liquor licences and operating from approved premises instead of commuter omnibus ranks.
Speaking to journalists soon after a full council meeting, Cllr Zinhanga said illegal drinking spots operating from undesignated areas were disrupting order in the city and needed to be brought under formal regulation.
“We know there are some people who are illegal occupants of stores and are running shebeens,” he said. “We have been doing blitz operations, arresting people and sometimes confiscating their beer, but this now needs everyone on board for people to understand that we are not punishing anyone. People want to survive, but we are saying let’s do things correctly.”
He urged operators wishing to trade in liquor to follow proper procedures.
“If you want to be a beer trader, apply, get a licence and find a place to run your business,” Cllr Zinhanga said. “We cannot allow beer shebeens everywhere, especially at the ranks. We need order and sanity, and we can only achieve that when all of us are working together — the town management, politicians, businesspeople, church leaders and even the vendors.”
