Charge Them More: Speaker Mudenda Pushes For More Toll Gates On Zimbabwe Roads And Higher Tariffs

Zimbabwe Speaker Proposes More Toll Gates  And Higher Tariffs For Trucks

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, has publicly advocated for a significant expansion of Zimbabwe’s toll gate system and a sharp increase in tariffs for heavy trucks. He made these direct proposals while addressing the Minister of Transport at a pre-budget seminar held in Bulawayo. His comments have ignited a fierce public debate about road funding and the cost of transport.

A Mathematical Approach To Fundraising

Speaker Mudenda outlined a specific plan to increase the number of revenue collection points on two key routes. He began by praising the minister before launching into his detailed proposals for new toll gate locations.

“Honorable Minister of Transport you are doing very well. You are doing very well. I like you because you are humble. You are prepared to consult and listen, now listen to your Speaker.”

He then detailed his vision for the roads to Hwange and Binga, framing it as a precise financial calculation.

“…Relatedly the road to Hwange has three toll gates, can you increase to five, can you increase to five and then Cross Dete to Binga can we have two toll gates there. It is a shorter route I am being very mathematical, yes it’s a shorter route. From Cross-Dete to Binga a it’s a 120 km so it means you have two toll gates between Cross Dete off Victoria Falls Road to Binga Centre. That will help us to do the fundraising accordingly.”

The Speaker also called for the immediate installation of weigh bridges at strategic toll gates, to be funded by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA).

“…through funds from ZINARA, while we sort out NRZ, can we immediately ensure that we have weigh bridges, especially at strategic toll gates. Either exit or entry or somewhere in the middle, you don’t have to put them everywhere.”

“Charge Them More” Directive For Trucks

A central part of Mudenda’s address was a direct instruction to raise the cost of road use for commercial vehicles. He explicitly and repeatedly urged the minister to impose significantly higher tariffs on large trucks.

“Now these big trucks while you’re sorting out NRZ can you upscale the tariffs at targets for this big trucks charge them more, charge them more.”

This call for increased charges was made in the context of ongoing efforts to address issues at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).

Public Backlash On Social Media

The proposals sparked a swift and critical reaction on social media platform X. Many users questioned the need for more toll gates, citing the poor condition of existing roads. Journalist Zenzele Ndebele of CITE Zimbabwe, posted

“The speaker is proposing more toll gates. Is that Mr Speaker? Is the money being used to maintain the roads?”

User Chief Svosve II highlighted a perceived contradiction in government policy.

“The Minister of Information & Broadcasting Hon Muswere told the nation that, the Gvt is reducing license fees & tariffs for the easie of doing business!! Now The Speaker of Parliament Hon. Adv. Mudenda is advocating for increasing Tollgates and tariffs???”

A recurring theme in the criticism was the belief that public officials do not personally bear the cost of these fees. User UNCLE stated:

“They use thier party branded cars, they dont pay haaaa ava vakufarisa vanhu ve zanu pf.” [They use their party branded cars, they don’t pay haaaa, these Zanu PF people are making life difficult for people.]

User bly_bly used the state of roads near a specific tollgate to challenge the proposal.

“Just before the Beatrice Tollgate wakupinda mu Harare panoperera that narrow bridge zuro chaiye there were massive potholes, . Its very irresponsible of them kutadza kugadzirisa pothole riripadhuze nepa tollgate pavari kutora mari yacho.”

[Just before the Beatrice Tollgate when you are entering Harare where that narrow bridge ends, just yesterday there were massive potholes. It is very irresponsible of them to fail to fix a pothole that is near the tollgate where they are collecting that money.]