Uncertainty as used car importation ban deadline approaches

Anxiety has gripped the nation as the ban on the importation of second hand vehicles of more than five years approaches.

With less than a month before the proposed ban is effected, the transport sector is calling for the scrapping of the piece of legislation.

Statutory instrument 154 of 2010 set the 30th of October as the last day where these vehicles will be allowed to get into the country. It also proposes a ban of left hand vehicles by December 31, 2015.

Some of the reasons that have been given for the instigation of the ban are that the vehicles are unroadworthy and not friendly to the environment.

However, a car dealer in the capital, Mr Munyaradzi Kashambe said the country's economy is not yet ready for the ban as very few people can afford to buy brand new vehicles.

"These are the only cars affordable to the majority of Zimbabweans and imposing a ban on such vehicles is great injustice to low income earners," he said.

The general public believes government took the decision in a bid to control congestion especially in Harare's central business district and argue that such a problem is unique to the capital and should not affect the whole country.

However, ZBC said it has it on good authority that government did not formulate the policy to curb congestion but wanted to control air pollution.

Most of the vehicles which find their way to Zimbabwe cannot travel on Japan's roads as the amount of emission they make is above the set standards in the country of their origin.

It appears there is no or limited understanding among stakeholders regarding government's position on the matter.

The transport sector is believed to have taken government to court over the ban of left hand drive vehicles.

Transport Operators Association Zimbabwe Deputy Chairman, Mr Bernard Lunga said government did not consult them before coming up with the piece of legislation.

"They should have consulted us so that we contribute in way forward regarding these vehicles," Mr Lunga said.

Another player in the sector, Mr Gumisai Dengure contends there should be a compensatory plan before the implementation of the ban such as what happened in neighbouring South Africa.

It is generally believed that left hand driven vehicles have contributed to many accidents on the roads.

However recently released statistics of the period June to August 2011 show that of the road accidents which killed over two hundred people, very few were linked to left hand driven vehicles.

As the deadline approaches there is uncertainty.

While government has indicated that there is no going back on the matter, Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development Minister, Nicholas Goche said consultations are still in progress, and promised to issue a statement before the end of the week.