Freeman Razemba-Senior Reporter
LOGISTICAL arrangements for the implementation of the Electronic Traffic Management System, which is aimed at detecting traffic violations countrywide as part of efforts to curb reckless driving and reduce accidents, are now being finalised.
The system integrates intelligent surveillance cameras, automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) and central databases to automatically detect, fine and prosecute traffic offenders.
This new smart platform is expected to consolidate these efforts by linking camera detection systems to a centralised database, enabling real-time monitoring, instant identification of offenders and efficient penalty processing.
The initiative is also part of Zimbabwe’s broader digital transformation agenda, which seeks to integrate technology into critical sectors, including transport, law enforcement and urban management.
Zimbabwe has already stepped up efforts to fast-track its transition into a digitally driven economy, with a strong emphasis on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for industrialisation and economic transformation.
On Friday, Police Commissioner General Stephen Mutamba led a team of senior officers on a tour of the ETMS control centre at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Harare.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the development.
“The Commissioner-General of Police Stephen Mutamba led a team of senior officers on a familiarisation tour of the Police’s Electronic Traffic Management System Control Centre at CID Headquarters, Harare.
“The logistical arrangements for the implementation of the ETMS are currently being finalised,” he said.
So far, more than four million traffic violations have been captured by the new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered electronic traffic management system, with authorities now pursuing offenders as the crackdown on bad driving behaviour gathers momentum.
Authorities said the offences, detected by cameras installed at strategic intersections in the city, include running red traffic lights, going against the flow of traffic, picking up and dropping off passengers at undesignated places, speeding, using mobile phones while driving and travelling without fastened seatbelts.
President Mnangagwa is expected to commission the first phase of the project, which forms part of the Second Republic’s digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising policing, improving road safety and curbing corruption through technology-driven law enforcement.
Across the globe, digital policing is being credited for curbing traffic crimes through AI-powered cameras, automated e-ticketing, and real-time data integration.
In Zimbabwe, these technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to curb road carnage and corruption, while fundamentally transforming public safety by enforcing compliance and tracing criminal activities across urban centres.
President Mnangagwa has continually challenged police to embrace digital technology and modernise law enforcement to curb modern crime waves, with the Second Republic focusing on smart policing, integrated digital systems, and biometric tracking to improve security and efficiency.
The electronic traffic management system also includes the deployment of enforcement-powered vehicles and mobile control rooms fitted with cameras and monitoring equipment to detect traffic offences, identify stolen vehicles and enforce road traffic regulations without direct interaction between motorists and law enforcement officers.
The new system will automatically detect and record offences such as driving through red lights, failing to wear seatbelts and using mobile phones while driving.
It is integrated with the Central Vehicle Registry and the Civil Registry, enabling authorities to identify offenders electronically and issue penalties without manual intervention.
The electronic traffic management system complements the Second Republic’s broader digitalisation agenda under the National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises the use of information and communication technologies to modernise public service delivery, strengthen governance and improve security.
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