Vusumuzi Dube
Online Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), in partnership with various corporates, issued over seven thousand free toll passes at selected tollgates during the Easter and Independence holidays—days that also coincided with travel for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). This well-orchestrated customer experience initiative eased passage at busy tolling points while bringing smiles to motorists travelling during the period.
The initiative formed part of a broader campaign aimed at appreciating road users, while reaffirming ZINARA’s commitment to enhancing service delivery and building stronger relationships with the public.
Backed by collaborative partnerships with seven corporates and 22 activations across the country, the promotion—dubbed the Happy Hour campaign—helped reduce congestion during this peak travel period. Participating corporates also had the opportunity to engage directly with motorists, showcasing their products and promoting road safety awareness.
In an interview, ZINARA’s Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Mrs Tsungie Manyeza, stated:
“This campaign is not just about free toll passes; it’s about appreciation and productively engaging with our valued motorists.
“With Happy Hour, we show our road users that they matter and that we are committed to serving them not just with efficiency, but also with empathy and gratitude. We are honoured to have partners who help us achieve this.”
Mrs Manyeza added that the corporates involved had a lucrative opportunity to market their products to more than 100,000 travellers passing through tollgates during the campaign—a cost-effective and high-impact marketing platform.
Some of the Happy Hour activations featured themed entertainment, such as the Easter activation at Norton Tollgate by Old Mutual, which included a giant robot installation. Other corporates deployed their brand ambassadors to engage with motorists and share safety and product messages. Doves, in partnership with the Traffic Safety Council, featured DNA Show host Tinashe Mugabe, blending education with entertainment for travellers.
Other participating corporates included CBZ, NetOne, EcoCash, HelloPaisa and Steward Bank.
Local comedian Comic Pastor was among the lucky travellers to receive a free pass at Goromonzi Tollgate, courtesy of Steward Bank. He expressed his appreciation on social media, writing:
“Thank you, Steward Bank, for the free toll pass at Marondera. #myfirstboss”
Participating tollgates included Norton Plaza, Ntabazinduna Plaza, Mutare Plaza, Eskbank Tollgate, Skyline Tollgate, Goromonzi Plaza, and Esigodini Tollgate, among others.
Mrs Manyeza noted that this initiative also marks a continuation of ZINARA’s transformation journey, guided by its ICEA strategic pillars: Integrity, Capacitation, Engagement, and Automation.
Under this refreshed approach, ZINARA is intentionally shifting towards people-centred service delivery, modernisation, and enhanced transparency.
She further noted that ZINARA would use this opportunity to gather feedback from the motoring public on how the road fund manager could improve its service offering. Travellers attending ZITF will also benefit from the promotion on the 26th and 27th of April at Ntabazinduna Plaza and Esigodini Tollgate.
ZINARA continues to position itself as a forward-thinking institution—not only facilitating national movement but also delivering meaningful, human-centred value.
Online Reporter