by Gideon Madzikatidze/Simbarashe Sithole
HARARE – Zimbabwe Public Transport Organisation (ZIPTO) Chairman, Dr Sam Nhanhanga and passengers have applauded Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Honourable Advocate Felix Mhona over finalisation in the procurement of breathalysers and speed cameras, which will be used by the police to curb carnage on major roads countrywide, a move done through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.
Speaking in Harare during the official handover ceremony, Nhanhanga claimed that the development would complement towards curbing road carnage during the festive season and also deliberately control operators from forcing drivers to exceed maximum periods allocated per trip which would alleviate fatigue and possibilities for human errors.
“We welcome this development by the Minister and to us transporters, it is a clear message that there is a need to adhere to traffic prescriptions which would transcend to reducing fatigue or overworking amongst our drivers. We should value people over maximising profits through unnecessary trips maximisation or abnormal daily targets,” Nhanhanga said.
“We have also realised that the machines are also going to be distributed countrywide which would therefore enable wide coverage in terms of monitoring for adherence. I urge public transporters to ensure they consider all requisites assessments and tests before plying various route in our tireless efforts to arrest road carnage,” he added.
Enrose Musinake, a commuter passenger from Stoneridge (Harare South) has echoed same sentiments, claiming it is a reprieve in the wake of previous road accident statistics and an empowerment initiative to make sure authorities fight road carnage.
“As daily commuting passengers, we welcome this initiative by Minister Mhona (government) and all parastatals under his Ministry in making sure that law enforcement agencies are equiped with all resources which minimise accidents within both our urban centres and major highways especially since this gesture concur with festive season,” Musinake said.
“Its actually a reprieve to everyone and this would ensure that human errors are reduced due to maintained status of public transporters drivers, speed governance, fitness and vehicle assessment tests, educational awareness campaigns, among other initiatives,” Musinake added.
Harare Central constituency legislator, Honourable Lovemore Jimu said that it is high time that those those violating traffic by-laws and regulations should be severely punished and conviction should therefore be equated to attempted murder.
“It is high time that as the legislature, we craft laws that would send deterrent signals to all would-be offenders. Upon commission of such crimes attributed to human error, the conviction should be equated to attempted murder,” Jimu said
Meanwhile, Minister Mhona said his ministry was working closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) through coordinated joint operations.
“The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), in partnership with the ZRP, has finalised technical specifications for the procurement of speed cameras to improve monitoring and compliance,” Mhona said.
“These measures will strengthen the culture of road discipline, reduce accidents, and enhance public safety across the transport network. Road safety in Zimbabwe remains a critical concern, with rising incidents of road crashes affecting lives and livelihoods,” he added.
Mhona said the government has prioritised road safety as a national development issue, aligning efforts with: SADC Road Safety Action Plan, the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) which will be transitioning (soon) to NDS2.
He (Mhona) added that these frameworks emphasise urgent, coordinated action to reduce accidents and improve public safety with over 94 percent of road accidents in Zimbabwe being attributed to human error.
“In response, TSCZ has partnered with State institutions to implement targeted interventions: Procured evidential breathalysers and breathalyser printers; and rollout and handover to ZRP,” Mhona announced.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) urged motorists to exercise caution and adhere to traffic rules and regulations in reducing road carnage, especially during festive season.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi called on motorists to avoid speeding in their quest to safeguard human lives.
“Drivers are encouraged to inspect the condition of their vehicle tyres, including the spare wheel, to ensure that they are in good condition and properly inflated to avoid road accidents,” Nyathi said.
“Drivers should also check that windscreen wipers are functioning effectively, especially during the rainy season, to maintain clear visibility. Additionally, any cracked or broken wind screens should be promptly repaired or replaced, as they can significantly impair vision and increase the risk of accidents,” Nyathi added in a statement.