BIKITA residents are up in arms with the local authority for allowing open market traders to camp at Makuvaza Business Centre without observing COVID-19 safety protocols. BY Garikai Mafirakureva Jethro Chuma, who is Bikita Business Community (BBC) committee member, said the open markets exposed them to the pandemic. “Traders at open markets come from all corners of the country. So chances of transmission of the disease are high,” he said. “These cases seem to be spiking again, so they need to be stopped. As residents and BBC, we are not happy at all with these open markets at the moment. The district administrator’s office and Bikita Rural District Council should do something to stop this.” Bikita district development coordinator Bernard Hadzirambwi, who is also district COVID-19 vice- chairperson, refused to comment on the matter and referred all the questions to council chief executive (CEO) Peter Chibi. Chibi said he had asked police to disperse the traders. lFollow Garikai on Twitter @garry4peace