The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has expressed alarm at a sharp rise in fatal road traffic accidents during the 2025 festive season, blaming the surge on the absence of a viable, safe and properly regulated public transport system.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Commission said it was “concerned” by statistics released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), which show that fatal road accidents doubled from 1 211 in 2024 to 2 412 in 2025 between December 15 and December 26.
“The doubling of total road accidents from 1 211 in 2024 to 2 412 in 2025, alongside significant increases in fatalities and injuries, represents not just a statistical rise but a profound national emergency demanding urgent and comprehensive interventions,” the ZHRC said.
According to police figures, at least 100 people were killed while 471 others were injured during the 2025 festive season period, with passengers and pedestrians accounting for the majority of fatalities.
“Behind these numbers lie shattered families, lifelong disabilities and preventable loss of human life,” the Commission said. “Each of the 100 lives lost and 471 injuries represents a story of pain and a community in mourning.”
The ZHRC noted that pedestrians alone accounted for about 40% of all deaths, warning that the data points to systemic failures that disproportionately endanger vulnerable road users.
While acknowledging government efforts to upgrade road infrastructure under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, the Commission said the rising accident toll exposed deep-seated problems in the public transport sector.
“Nevertheless, the ZHRC is gravely disconcerted by the increase in accidents, which it considers to be linked to a number of factors, including a disorganised, under-regulated and overstressed transportation sector,” the statement said.
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
- Police accused of killing Budiriro man
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
- Police accused of killing Budiriro man
Keep Reading
Through its human rights monitoring and assessment functions, the ZHRC noted that the lack of reliable and affordable formal public transport has led to the proliferation of poorly maintained vehicles, including unroadworthy buses, kombis and private cars operating as informal taxis.
“Overcrowding turns these vehicles into mass death traps, significantly increasing fatality rates when accidents occur, as evidenced by the high passenger death toll, not to mention the indignity suffered by commuters packed into these vehicles,” the Commission said.
It added that economic pressures on informal transport operators encourage dangerous driving practices.
“Drivers in the informal transport sector often face extreme economic pressure to complete more trips, leading to dangerous practices such as overloading, speeding, overtaking on blind curves, driving while fatigued and ignoring traffic laws,” the ZHRC said.
Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the deadliest crash during the period occurred at the 185-kilometre peg along the Harare–Nyamapanda Road near the Suswe area, resulting in the deaths of all 10 occupants of a Honda Fit vehicle.
Nyathi said a preliminary review of road traffic accidents recorded on major highways across the country during the festive season points to recurring and preventable causes.
“A preliminary review of road traffic accidents recorded on major highways across the country during the period points to recurring and preventable causal factors, largely attributable to driver behaviour and vehicle-related issues, which resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries,” he said.
He added that most fatal crashes involved head-on collisions caused by reckless driving.
