Harare City holds open streets workshop, pledges future improvements

Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
Harare City Council on Tuesday hosted a workshop on open streets and tactical urbanism at Town House.
The event brought together various stakeholders, including representatives from Pedal and Plant, UN Habitat, the City of Kilimane in Mozambique, and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.
The workshop served as a follow-up to the successful open streets event held in Budiriro over the weekend.
Participants discussed strategies to enhance future events and promote active mobility in the city.
Ms Judith Mujegu, Harare City’s chief traffic and transportation planner, emphasised the significance of open streets initiatives in encouraging sustainable transportation.
“We must prioritise active mobility and include cycle tracks in our city’s master plan,” she said.
Mr Isaiah Mbanje from the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe raised concerns about the vulnerability of cyclists to road traffic accidents.
He highlighted that a significant portion of pedestrian fatalities occur among young people aged 4 to 19.
Mr Mbanje also pledged the council’s commitment to implementing stronger road safety policies, especially in high-risk areas, to protect all road users.
Open streets are programmes that temporarily open streets to people by closing them to cars.