Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
PLAYERS in the transport and logistics sector have commended President Mnangagwa and the Government for prioritising road infrastructure development.
The players have been meeting in Kariba for the Zimbabwe Institute of Transport and Logistics (ZITL) three-day 2025 summer school, which ends today.
They said improved road infrastructure, including the upgrading of the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, had improved their business and reduced road carnages.
Shipping and Forwarding Agents’ Association of Zimbabwe (SFAAZ) chief executive officer, Mr Washington Dube, said upgrading of Beitbridge Border Post and the proposal to transform some of Zimbabwe’s borders to 24-hour ports of entry would see a reduction in road carnages.
“Making borders operate 24 hours a day will see reduced road accidents as transporters won’t be rushing anywhere,” he said.
Ms Gwynth Gatha Small to Media Enterprises SMEs) coordinator for the Eastern and Southern Africa Region in transport and logistics, said the engagement had opened up opportunities in terms of introducing new technologies to the transport business.
Subject matter expert, Engineer Carlos Chikumbirike and the institute’s board chairman, Mr Robert Mandeya concurred that the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the transport and logistics business was key to boost revenue and save workers’ lives.
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Felix Mhona, who was represented by the principal director of transport management, Mr Allowance Sango, said there was a need to build and nurture a resilient and sustainable logistics ecosystem in Zimbabwe to enhance regional integration.
“Regional Integration features amongst the top agenda in almost all continental and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) protocols, treaties, strategic frameworks, agreements and programmes,” he said.
