By Caroline Washaya-Moyo
Zimbabwe has stepped up efforts to improve road safety and protect passengers with the launch of the National Speed Monitoring System (NSMS), a technology-driven platform designed to monitor public service vehicles and strengthen compliance with speed and road safety regulations.
Launching the system, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Honourable Felix Mhona said the initiative would provide authorities with improved information on the movement and operation of public service vehicles, enabling more effective regulatory oversight and timely intervention where necessary.
The system is being implemented as part of Government’s efforts to enforce Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023, Road Traffic (Speed Limiting and Tracking Devices) Regulations, 2023, which requires public service vehicles to be fitted with speed limiting and speed monitoring devices.
Minister Mhona said the initiative was ultimately about protecting human life rather than simply tracking vehicles.
«“This initiative is not simply about tracking vehicles on a map. It is about saving lives, improving accountability and strengthening public confidence in our transport system.”»
He said the system would contribute to Zimbabwe’s objective of reducing road fatalities by 25 percent by 2030, while providing authorities with valuable data to improve public transport planning and oversight.
For transport operators, the NSMS is expected to strengthen operational discipline and demonstrate compliance with the law, while drivers will face greater accountability for their conduct on the roads.
Passengers, Minister Mhona said, would gain an additional layer of protection through improved monitoring of public service vehicles.
The Minister stressed that the NSMS should not be regarded solely as an enforcement tool, but as part of a broader partnership involving Government, transport operators, drivers, regulators, technology providers and the travelling public.
“Every journey carries human lives. The technology we are launching today must complement responsible driving, respect for passengers and adherence to road safety requirements,” he said.
Broader road safety measures
The launch comes against the backdrop of a wider Government programme aimed at reducing road traffic accidents through legislation, enforcement, infrastructure improvements and post-crash response.
Minister Mhona said Government had introduced several legislative measures during the past three years, including Statutory Instrument 119 of 2023, Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 2023, and Statutory Instrument 10 of 2025, which regulates the eligibility of drivers of public passenger-carrying vehicles, including age and driving experience requirements.
Government is also at an advanced stage in the development of the Road Accident Fund Bill, aimed at strengthening post-crash management.
Work is also underway on the Road Traffic Authority Bill, which seeks to integrate the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID), Central Vehicle Registry (CVR), Road Motor Transport (RMT) and Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), with regulatory and enforcement powers.
Additional regulations under consideration include the review of Statutory Instrument 309 of 1985, governing driving schools, as well as regulations covering e-hailing services, road transport cabotage, a penalty point or demerit system, the Good Samaritan Law, student handbooks and the Highway Code, drivers’ working hours and hazardous defensive driving certification.
Technology and enforcement
Minister Mhona said Government was also working with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to advance the Smart Electronic Traffic Management System (ETMS).
The Vehicle Inspectorate Department has been equipped with 18 smart operational vehicles fitted with advanced brake roller testers, while breathalysers sourced by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe have been procured for use by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
The Government has also strengthened post-crash response through the positioning of ambulances at strategic locations, including toll gates and dangerous road sections, to facilitate the rapid evacuation of accident victims to medical facilities.
Road infrastructure safety is also being addressed through strengthened axle-load and overload control, including the national weighbridge programme and weigh-in-motion systems.
According to Minister Mhona, 23 weighbridges have been rehabilitated, while procurement of a further 18 is underway.
Engineering safety measures are also being incorporated into road rehabilitation projects, including improved signage, road markings, guard rails, shoulders and grade-separated interchanges.
The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe continues to coordinate public road safety awareness campaigns, including support for the renewal of pedestrian crossings, signs and road markings.
Government is also fencing new road stretches where livestock crossings have been identified as a road safety risk.
Six-month compliance period
Minister Mhona acknowledged the contribution of institutions, technical teams, transport operators and other stakeholders towards the establishment of the NSMS, singling out the Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Operators for their role in making the system a reality.
To allow operators sufficient time to comply with the new monitoring requirements, Government has granted public service vehicle operators a six-month grace period from the date of the launch.
Minister Mhona said the law would take its full course once the grace period expires.
The National Speed Monitoring System therefore forms part of a wider road safety framework in which technology, regulation, enforcement, infrastructure development and post-crash response are being combined to improve the safety of Zimbabwe’s roads.
Its effectiveness will depend on the accuracy of the information generated, the responsiveness of regulatory institutions and sustained compliance by operators and drivers.
Minister Mhona officially declared the National Speed Monitoring System launched, calling on stakeholders to work together to ensure that its implementation protects passengers, improves compliance and strengthens confidence in Zimbabwe’s public transport system.
