Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Senior Government officials from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are holding Trilateral Joint Route management group and joint committee meetings in Harare.
The meetings are being convened under the framework of the three countries’ bilateral road transport agreements and serve as a platform to strengthen regional cooperation, enhance transport connectivity, and facilitate the seamless movement of goods and passengers across the region.
The meeting is being attended by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development permanent secretary, Engineer Joy Makumbe, together with her counterparts from Malawi and Mozambique, Mr Bright Kumwembe and Mr Alberto Matusse and senior Government officials from the three countries.
The officials are set to discuss various topics, which include high toll fees in Malawi and Mozambique, high and Non-uniform traffic fines in Mozambique, absence of a publicly available schedule of offences and penalties in Mozambique, reports of requests for unofficial payments and corruption along transport routes and Mozambique’s extra toll fee on super links or second trailers.
They will also discuss Mozambique’s requirement for trailer drop sides not to be removed and fines levied if they are removed.
Other issues include the removal of Carbon Tax levied in Zimbabwe and Malawi, Beira Port delays and congestion, border delays at Machipanda, requirement to carry truck and trailer registration books together with Cross Border Permit, non-recognition of Zimbabwe SADC Driving Licence, restrictions preventing Malawian transporters from purchasing toll fee booklets in Mozambique, Security concerns and criminal attacks targeting foreign trucks, particularly along the Beira Corridor; and mutual recognition of Digital Permits, among others.
Charles Duri