Police Officers Manning Roadblocks To Be Held Liable For Accidents, Says Minister Of Transport
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona has said that any vehicle involved in an accident after passing through a manned roadblock would result in the accountability of the police officers and/or Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) officials manning the roadblock.
Mhona made this statement in response to a question from Manicaland Senator Jane Chitsamba, who had inquired about the Ministry’s efforts to address the surge in road carnage.
In recent weeks, dozens of people have been killed in several accidents across the country, with some of the accidents attributed to unroadworthy vehicles. Said Mhona (via CITE):
It is quite saddening that over 26 precious lives were lost in June alone, with over 56 people injured.
We are taking serious measures in terms of mitigatory actions as a Ministry, but this calls for a holistic approach.
Where we have witnessed recklessness, where we did not preserve the sanctity of life on our roads, where others are driving under the influence of alcohol, and through the enforcement agents, we have said if a vehicle passes through a manned checkpoint and is involved in an accident, the officials are accountable.
Not only that, even the operators of those buses. So we are not only charging the drivers.
Mhona revealed that in all reported accidents, the vehicles did not have certificates of fitness, indicating they were unfit for the road. He said:
So we cannot continue to watch. We cannot continue to allow such anarchy and lawlessness on our roads. We are tabling a very deterrent Statutory Instrument (SI) to address such malpractices.
We are witnessing 2,000 lives lost per annum in this small country of Zimbabwe. We cannot continue to have such an alarming number.
I want to assure the august House that we will not rest on our laurels as a Ministry, but will continue to appeal to this august House for deterrent measures.
According to the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), from January to May 2024, the country had a total of 21,183 road crashes, resulting in 860 fatalities and injuring 4,350 people.
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