Zimbabweans brace for Road Levy

Zanu-PF MP Ricky Mawere has urged Government to introduce a Road Levy to cater for people who would have been involved in road traffic accidents.

Introducing a motion titled Implementation of policies that reduce road carnage on Thursday in parliament, Mawere said the Civil Protection Unit should be tasked with disbursement of the proposed fund.

"It is my humble submission that a special purpose fund for the accident victims be established and administered by the Civil Protection Unit for disbursement of funds during the hour of need.

"ZINARA should also contribute to this fund since it is the road authority in charge of maintaining the roads and collecting toll fees –[HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear].

"Accident Levy should also be effected to all those employed. The levy will be as good as cancer, AIDS levy and so on to cater for those who would have been involved in Road Traffic Accident (RTA), said Mawere.

 MP Makandure supported the motion.

"I also support the recommendation that we should have a special purpose fund because accidents are unavoidable and do occur, but it is the rate at which they happen in Zimbabwe that is alarming.

"It is something that has to be considered and ways and means should be found to reduce those accidents. So, I sincerely support the motion and support the idea that we should have a special disaster fund that will cater for those people who will have survived and also those who could have lost their lives because death through an accident has no formula. Most of us are drivers and it is not known whether one day you will also be involved in an accident because of someone who is negligent."

Earlier, Mawere has recommended that penalties to traffic offenders be heavy, there should be a comprehensive insurance cover to assist the victims and reckless transporters' licences be withdrawn.