EDITORIAL COMMENT: ZINARA robbing motorists

Source: EDITORIAL COMMENT: ZINARA robbing motorists | The Financial Gazette January 26, 2017

IT is no longer unusual to see a string of gaping potholes on many of Zimbabwe’s roads constantly posing a danger to motorists who have to use these neglected streets and highways.
Wherever one travels in Zimbabwe, whether it is in Harare, Mutare, Kariba or Victoria Falls, potholes have become a constant feature on our country’s roads.
Many road accidents have occurred as a result of these potholes because on many occasions motorists have lost control of their vehicles after hitting a pothole or in the process of trying to avoid one.
Traffic accidents caused by the poor state of our roads have increased during this rainy season because potholes become invisible in the rain. As a result, many lives have been lost while many motorists have incurred huge costs arising from damages caused by driving over potholes.
In the past these potholed roads were prevalent only in high density residential areas, but now the menace has spread to roads in leafy suburbs such as Borrowdale, Greystone Park and Chisipite in the capital Harare — areas previously known for their smooth and properly maintained roads.
In recent years, potholes have also become a permanent feature on many roads in Harare’s central business district.
The same can be said about the roads in other cities and towns such as Bulawayo, Masvingo, Gweru or Kwekwe.
Evidently, those entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the country’s roads are sleeping on the job or have given up on their obligation.
The Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (ZINARA), the agency responsible for the maintenance and development of the country’s national road network, has nothing to show for the millions of United States dollars it collects from motorists every year.
Local authorities that also have a responsibility to maintain and develop roads within their precincts appear overwhelmed by this responsibility. These councils accuse ZINARA of disbursing inadequate financial resources to them towards the maintenance of their roads.
In June last year, ZINARA revealed it had generated US$180 million in six years through its tolling system introduced in 2010. Our understanding is that tollgates were introduced in order to create a fund for the maintenance and development of the country’s ageing road network given that most roads in the country were constructed over 40 years ago during the colonial era, with an average lifespan of 20 years.
While ZINARA has succeeded in collecting revenue from motorists through its tolling system, the parastatal has dismally failed in its mandate to fund the maintenance and development of the national road network. The menacing potholes and the state of disrepair on the country’s roads cannot justify the millions of dollars the agency is collecting from hard-pressed motorists, who now feel robbed by the parastatal.
ZINARA needs to put its act together and justify its tolling system by rehabilitating the country’s roads and developing a world class national road network. It must also disburse adequate funds to local authorities for the resurfacing of roads before more lives are lost as a result of accidents caused by poor road infrastructure.

Back to Home page