New restrictions imposed on Kombis

New restrictions imposed on Kombis  

By Allan Mbotshwa  

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Honourable Felix Mhona has announced stricter regulations for kombis, aiming to reduce the number of fatal accidents caused by reckless driving. 

Effective immediately, kombis will be limited to operating within a 60km radius of their designated starting point. Additionally, all kombis must be equipped with speed-limiting and monitoring devices.

This decision follows a comprehensive review of the current restrictions, which were deemed insufficient to curb the rising toll of accidents involving kombis.  

The new measures aim to address concerns about speeding, overloading, and reckless driving, which have been contributing factors to many fatal accidents. 

The 60km radius limit will significantly restrict the routes kombis can operate on.  Popular routes like Harare to Bindura and Harare to Marondera will no longer be permitted. However, shorter routes within the 60km radius, such as Harare to Norton, Goromonzi, and Dema, will remain viable. 

Enforcement of these new regulations will be crucial to their success. The government will need to ensure that kombis adhere to the speed limits and operating restrictions. Strict penalties should be imposed on drivers who violate these rules. 

By implementing these stricter measures, the government hopes to make Zimbabwe's roads safer and reduce the number of tragic accidents involving kombis.