MARONDERA — The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has commenced a second round of nationwide public consultations on the proposed Road Accident Fund Bill, a major legislative reform aimed at overhauling Zimbabwe’s post-crash response framework and extending social protection to all road accident victims.
The consultations, which opened in Marondera on Tuesday, are being led by the Ministry under Permanent Secretary Engineer J. P. Makumbe and are intended to gather public and stakeholder input before the Bill is finalised and tabled before Parliament.
The proposed Road Accident Fund marks a decisive shift from the current fault-based third-party insurance model to a no-fault compensation system, under which victims of road traffic accidents would receive support without the need to establish liability.
In a keynote address read on her behalf, Eng Makumbe underscored the urgency of reform, citing alarming national road safety statistics. Zimbabwe records a road traffic accident every 15 minutes, resulting in more than 1,800 deaths and over 10,000 injuries each year.
She said the proposed Fund is designed to create a universal social safety net that covers all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and passengers, groups often left vulnerable under the existing system. Under the new framework, claimants would be eligible for assistance with medical treatment, rehabilitation, funeral expenses and related costs without engaging in protracted legal battles to prove fault.
The Fund is set to be financed through a restructuring of the current third-party insurance premium. According to the proposal, 35 percent of the premium will be channelled to the Road Accident Fund, 34.3 percent will remain with insurance companies to cover vehicle damage, while the balance will cater for broker commissions, regulatory costs and road safety awareness programmes. Officials say the new model is expected to significantly reduce delays, litigation and administrative bottlenecks that currently characterise insurance settlements following road accidents.
The Marondera consultation drew participation from a broad cross-section of stakeholders, including representatives from government ministries, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, insurance firms, transport operators, health service providers, traditional leaders and civil society organisations.
The proposed Road Accident Fund is viewed as a key component of Zimbabwe’s broader development agenda, aligning with Vision 2030 and international commitments under the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, which targets a 50 percent reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
