Harare traffic jam irks motorists

There was chaos in Harare's central business district this Thursday due to congestion caused by malfunctioning traffic lights.

Motorists and commuters who woke up to find themselves in darkness owing to power outages, left their homes hoping to get to work on time and grab a cup of coffee, but alas, they were welcomed by a traffic jam as the traffic lights were not working.

Chaos became the order of the day as cars were locked one after another, with motorists increasingly becoming impatient and hooting at each other.

Motorists expressed dismay and questioned why the city fathers abandoned the solar traffic lights project which they described as progressive and convenient.

Harare City Council Public Relations Manager, Leslie Gwindi said the project was abandoned due to lack of funds, adding that negotiations are underway with financial institutions to bankroll the project.

"We cannot disclose exactly how much is needed but once we get the funds we will resume installations," he said.

Solar power provides unmatched convenience, reliability and efficiency.

Zimbabwe is endowed with abundant solar power which however has not been tapped into.

Power from the national grid cannot be relied upon as the country is facing shortages.