Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
GOVERNMENT is set to complete the first phase of a nationwide electronic traffic management system with the installation of more than 300 high-tech surveillance cameras across Harare before the programme is expanded to Bulawayo and major highways.
President Mnangagwa is expected to commission the first phase of the project in the next few weeks, which forms part of the Second Republic’s digital transformation agenda aimed at modernising policing, improving road safety and curbing corruption through technology-driven law enforcement.
Across the globe, digital policing is being credited for curbing global traffic crimes through AI-powered cameras, automated e-ticketing, and real-time data integration.
In Zimbabwe, these technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to curb road carnage and corruption, while fundamentally transforming public safety by enforcing compliance and tracing criminal activities across urban centres.
President Mnangagwa has continually challenged the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to embrace digital technology and modernise law enforcement to curb modern crime waves with the Second Republic focusing on smart policing, integrated digital systems, and biometric tracking to improve security and efficiency.
The electronic traffic management system also includes the deployment of enforcement-powered vehicles, mobile control rooms fitted with cameras and monitoring equipment to detect traffic offences, identify stolen vehicles and enforce road traffic regulations without direct interaction between motorists and law enforcement officers.
In a recent interview on the sidelines of the Annual Expert Group Meeting for Registrars General in Victoria Falls, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said the electronic traffic management system is one of several digital platforms being introduced under the ministry’s interoperability programme.
“Within the police now, we are deploying the forensic laboratory system, we are deploying the crime management system and the electronic traffic management system and this is work that is ongoing,” he said.
Minister Kazembe said TelOne is installing more than 300 high-tech cameras across Harare under the first phase of the programme.
“TelOne is busy installing cameras on the streets of Harare right now. Some of them are already functional. They are just fine-tuning a few things,” he said.
“The project will be extended to Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare and highways across the country. We still have a lot more cameras to install and a lot more spots to cover. The work may proceed simultaneously with multiple service providers.”
Minister Kazembe said the initiative aligns with the country’s smart city programme.
“We should be able to ask His Excellency the President to come and commission at the end of August, or possibly earlier. This is very historic. It’s the first step towards a smart city,” he said.
“It’s no longer a talk show. It’s a reality. We’re digitalising our country.”
The new system will automatically detect and record offences such as driving through red lights, failing to wear seatbelts and using mobile phones while driving.
It is integrated with the Central Vehicle Registry and the Civil Registry, enabling authorities to identify offenders electronically and issue penalties without manual intervention.
“The good thing about cameras is you cannot corrupt them. They don’t go for tea, they do not sleep,” said Minister Kazembe.
He said the enforcement-powered vehicles will serve as mobile command centres capable of detecting traffic violations, stolen vehicles, unlicensed vehicles and insurance irregularities while on patrol, significantly enhancing the operational capacity of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
The electronic traffic management system complements the Second Republic’s broader digitalisation agenda under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises the use of information and communication technologies to modernise public service delivery, strengthen governance and improve security.
It also supports the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into a digitally enabled upper-middle-income economy through the adoption of smart technologies across transport, policing, public administration and service delivery.
The initiative is expected to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, enhance crime detection and minimise opportunities for corruption by limiting direct contact between motorists and law enforcement officers.
