MPs Granted Free Parking, Tollgate Access

Zim Now Reporter

Members of Parliament will no longer be required to pay parking fees in Harare’s Central Business District, Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda announced yesterday.

Under the new arrangement, each legislator will be allowed to register two vehicles for exemption from parking fees, which are currently set at US$1 per hour in the capital.

“I also wish to inform the House that the Administration of Parliament has reached an agreement with City Parking to exempt two vehicles belonging to each Member of Parliament from paying parking fees in the Harare Central Business District,” said Advocate Mudenda.

Lawmakers have been instructed to submit copies of the registration books for their two designated vehicles to the Human Capital Department at Parliament to facilitate the process.

In addition to free parking, MPs will also benefit from express tollgate passage under a new initiative introduced by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration.

Express lanes have been set up at selected tollgates, including Skyline, Dema, and Eskbank, as part of a pilot project. These lanes will allow government-exempted vehicles to pass through seamlessly using an electronic tag system.

“To use the express lane, vehicles must be equipped with an e-tag, which will be scanned by the system. Once detected, the boom barrier will automatically open,” said Advocate Mudenda.

The ZINARA team will visit the new Parliament Building on February 26 and March 5, 2025, between 9 AM and 4 PM, to install e-tags on the exempted vehicles. MPs have been urged to ensure their vehicles are tagged to avoid delays at tollgates.

However, the latest benefits have drawn criticism from some quarters, with opposition LEAD party leader Linda Masarira arguing that MPs already receive enough perks.

“The recent revelation that Zimbabwean Members of Parliament and Senators now enjoy free tollgate passage, free parking, and the registration of two vehicles exempt from toll fees is yet another blatant display of elite privilege in a country where millions struggle to afford basic necessities,” she said on X.

Masarira added that while ordinary citizens face high transport costs and economic challenges, lawmakers continue to enjoy exclusive benefits.