daniel chigunwe
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
As the festive season approaches, law enforcement agencies are gearing up for a significant deployment on the country’s major roads to ensure compliance with traffic regulations.
Senior police officers, alongside the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, will take decisive action against motorists who flout traffic rules.
At yesterday’s launch of the 2024 festive season road safety awareness campaign, it was announced that officers from the Vehicle Inspection Department, Road Motor Transportation, and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, will be supported by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
This initiative seeks to curb reckless driving and enhance road safety during a period known for increased travel.
The Police General Headquarters will also deploy senior officers to monitor ground operations across the country.
These officers will ensure that any issues arising from roadblock management are addressed promptly.
Transport Minister Felix Mhona said they will “deal decisively with any situations they believe have not been properly handled by the officers manning roadblocks”.
This underscores the Government’s commitment to ensuring road safety during the festive period.
The theme for this year’s campaign; “Normal speed meets every need”, emphasises the critical importance of adhering to safe driving speeds and fostering responsible driving attitudes.
Minister Mhona said there was need for motorists and public transporters to drive to arrive alive during the festive season, which is synonymous with excessive excitement, as people celebrate the gift of life and reunions with relatives and friends.
He warned that heightened road traffic densities and competition for space on highways can expose travellers to significant risks of road accidents, particularly during the peak of the rainy season.
Reflecting on road traffic statistics from previous festive seasons, Minister Mhona noted a positive trend.
“It gives hope to note that we achieved a reduction in the total number of road traffic accidents from 2 689 in the 2022 festive season to 2 228 in the 2023 festive season,” he said.
However, he warned that road crashes lead to injuries and fatalities, which burden families and the health sector, creating a strain on the economy.
Research indicates that Africa is the least motorised continent, possessing only two percent of the global vehicle population while contributing to 16 percent of global road traffic fatalities.
To combat this alarming trend, the Government has been collaborating with neighbouring countries to raise cross-border road safety awareness, including the recent Cross Alive Campaign launched with South Africa.
Minister Mhona urged drivers to maintain vigilance and adhere to traffic regulations, listing key behaviours to avoid, namely speeding, overloading, neglecting road signs, multi-tasking (use of cellphones) while driving, and travelling with defective vehicles.
“The police were under strict instruction to arrest and refer for prosecution motorists who violate laid down regulations,” he said.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said law enforcement is important to ensure all vehicles on the road are roadworthy.
He expressed concern regarding the high accident rates and the need for accountability among police officers manning roadblocks.
“I have discussed this issue with the Commissioner-General of Police and senior police officers and clearly expressed that from now onwards, such incidents must be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe’s board chairperson, Mr Kura Sibanda, said the poor behaviour displayed on roads has had a direct and indirect impact on road safety.
He highlighted the opportunity to save lives by addressing key risk factors, such as speeding and inadequate vehicle maintenance.
Maramba-Pfungwe legislator Cde Tichaona Karimazondo, who is a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development, urged drivers to exercise caution and obey traffic rules.
“Together, we can implement better road infrastructure, promote stricter law enforcement, and ensure that road safety education becomes an integral part of our curricula,” he said.
As the festive season approaches, it is crucial for all stakeholders including Government institutions, law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector, to collaborate in promoting road safety.
Chairman of the Zimbabwe Public Transport Organisation Dr Sam Nhanhanga, called on “everyone to join us in this campaign”.
Government and law enforcement agencies are taking significant measures to promote road safety and reduce traffic-related incidents.
By fostering a culture of compliance and responsible driving, the aim is to protect lives and minimise the burden of road accidents on families and the economy.
