Zimbabwe to retest all drivers in some money making scheme

All licensed drivers in Zimbabwe will soon be required to undergo retesting as part of a new initiative to account for changes in their facial features and health conditions, a government official revealed yesterday.

The announcement was made by Onesimo Bumhira, an official from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), during a stakeholders' meeting between police and transport operators. Bumhira stated that while no specific timeline had been set for when the retesting would begin, the retesting of all driver's licence holders would be a future requirement.

"The Government is introducing a process where drivers will need to go for retesting," Bumhira said. "The process will take into account changes in drivers' physical appearances over time, such as aging or the need for corrective lenses, which may not have been required when they first obtained their licences."

This initiative comes after the 2023 launch of the new plastic driver's licence designed to replace the old metal licences. The new licences are scannable, meet international standards for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and are valid for five years, unlike the old metal licences which had open-ended validity.

Bumhira also mentioned that driver's licence discs will soon expire, and motorists will be encouraged to undergo retesting before their discs expire. He advised drivers to prepare for the changes ahead, as failure to undergo retesting could result in complications once the disc expires.

"The physical appearance of drivers may change with age, and some may now require spectacles, which they did not need when they first obtained their licences. So, once the retesting process begins, drivers must be proactive and go for retesting before their discs expire," he said.

In addition, Bumhira highlighted that for international drivers, the retesting process would align with SADC and continental standards.

On a related note, the meeting also discussed the increasing number of motorists in the country, with officials from the City of Harare Planning Development being quizzed for failing to provide enough vehicle ranks to match the growing demand for parking spaces.

Assistant Commissioner Blessmore Chishaka, Deputy National Police Spokesperson, commended the Zimbabwe Passengers Transport Organisation (ZPTO) for donating a traffic tracking and monitoring system to help curb road accidents and speed violations. The system is said to be assisting traffic officers in monitoring drivers' speed and behaviour more effectively.

"The ZPTO donation is helping in addressing issues of drivers caught speeding, and this technology is making it easier for our officers to track offenders," said Chishaka. He also encouraged bus drivers to avoid being caught more than three times for traffic violations to prevent being blacklisted.

The meeting also saw passenger transport operators from various regions, including Mashonaland West, come together to discuss solutions for reducing road traffic accidents. Chishaka emphasized that most accidents are caused by human error and that preventing them is possible with the right interventions.

Representatives from the Passengers Association took the opportunity to criticize traffic police for their perceived failure to address illegal transport operations, also known as Mishikashika, which continue to plague the country's roads.

As Zimbabwe moves forward with its efforts to improve road safety and driver accountability, these new measures promise to play a critical role in ensuring safer roads for all motorists and pedestrians.