THERE is an outcry among Zimbabwean vehicle owners after the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) introduced a new cumbersome vehicle licence exemption policy.
Under the new policy, vehicle owners seeking to exempt their cars from licencing fees must now submit a cumbersome list of mandatory documents.
These include a garage report, garage tax clearance, police report, Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) RT16 form, a picture of the car and an affidavit, among other requirements.
The documents must be resubmitted at the end of every exemption term despite global trends towards digital paperwork.
Previously, vehicle owners would simply fill in an exemption form and provide proof of ownership.
Now, many are calling the process unnecessarily burdensome, complex and punitive.
Former Senator Matson Hlalo, who is also the chairperson of the Sesikhulile Senior Citizens group, described the new policy as “cruel and extortionist.”
“There is no justification for requiring a garage or police report from an elderly person whose health no longer permits them to drive,” Hlalo said.
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“It is a fact that pensioners in this country are getting very little pension, which cannot even sustain the luxury of owning a vehicle.”
Another pensioner, David Shoko, warned that the policy will fuel corruption.
“People will be forced to bribe for fake garage reports or tax clearances just to meet these new demands,” Shoko said.
“Not everyone can afford a formal garage.
“Many of us rely on informal mechanics or park the car at home until we can fix it.”
Motorists also questioned the requirement for a police report and a VID RT16 form, arguing that any of the documents should be sufficient.
“What Zinara is doing is punishing honest citizens for being transparent,” said Monica Sibindi, a teacher and single mother.
“If I park my car at home because of a breakdown, why should I be forced to pay for multiple reports and tax clearances? That’s absurd.
“We are not criminals. We are just struggling to survive.”
Another frustrated motorist, Lovemore Masendu, echoed similar sentiments.
“We already have police roadblocks, private parking operators, and Zinara officers enforcing road rules,” Masendu said.
“So why introduce another layer of red tape for people, who are not even driving their cars?.”
Critics argue that Zinara’s latest move reeks of revenue desperation rather than sound public policy.
Zinara, however, defended the revised exemption process, citing the need to curb abuse of the system.
According to the administration, the legal basis for vehicle licence exemptions is grounded in the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Act (Chapter 13:14, Section 24(3)) which requires applicants to complete a prescribed form and provide supporting documents.
“In recent years, we observed instances where individuals misused the exemption system by falsely declaring their vehicles as off-road while continuing to operate them,” Zinara said in response to inquiries from The Standard.
“To address this abuse, Zinara introduced additional verification measures such as requiring a garage report for vehicles claimed to be mechanically unfit.
“These steps help maintain fairness and compliance across the system.”
Zinara also acknowledged the public’s frustration over the new exemption policy.
“We recognise that not all exemption requests fit a standard mold,” ZIinara said.
“Genuine cases such as those involving health constraints, financial hardship, or other extenuating circumstances are carefully reviewed on an individual basis, with provisions for higher-level consideration where warranted.”
“We remain committed to balancing regulatory integrity with empathy for motorists’ unique situations.”
With many Zimbabweans facing economic hardship, the call is growing louder for a return to a simpler, fairer, and more transparent exemption process.
