police officer was caught on camera assisting a Zanu PF-branded vehicle in bypassing tollgate fees at the Lothian Tollgate along the Masvingo-Roy Highway.
The vehicle, a Nissan Navara double cab with registration number AGE 0818, is owned by Zanu PF MP for Zaka South, Clemence Chiduwa, although he was not driving it at the time.
The driver of the Zanu PF vehicle did not present any paperwork to prove exemption from toll fees. Instead, he drove directly to the VIP gate, where Constable Chihoma promptly opened it. TheVIP gate, where Constable Chihoma promptly opened it. The tolling staff did not challenge or question her actions.
As of the publication deadline, Clemence Chiduwa had not responded to inquiries sent to his WhatsApp.According to Masvingo Mirror, their source told them that all Zanu PF vehicles were not paying toll fees. Zinara, the Zimbabwe National Road Administration, had to post at all tollgates last year, urging Zanu PF members to comply with toll fee payments.
Tsungie Manyeza, Zinara’s head of corporate communications and marketing, clarified that no vehicle is exempt from toll fees unless it has a valid exemption certificate. She also mentioned that there are fines in place for those who evade toll payments.Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, the Zanu PF chairperson, recently expressed her dismay at increasing party officials misusing their branded vehicles to evade toll fees and engage in other unlawful activities.
The police officer involved, identified as Constable Chihoma, quickly left the scene upon realizing that the Mirror crew had documented her actions. The crew, including editorial consultant Matthew Takaona, provided Zinara officials with evidence of the incident.Manyeza explained that while parliamentarians have tolling exemptions for their allocated vehicles, this privilege does not extend to party vehicles. She also noted that the police are informed about which vehicles are exempt before they are deployed to tollgates. A fine of US$30 is imposed on vehicles that fail to pay toll fees.
Exempted vehicles are required to carry tolling exemption certificates, which include details such as the vehicle’s registration number and the validity period of the exemption. Manyeza
