BY WANDILE TSHUMA
In a surprising turn of events, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesman, George Charamba, has dismissed a recent directive mandating the removal of tinted windows from vehicles across Zimbabwe, labeling it as lacking legal grounding and urging the public to disregard it.
Charamba, who is currently accompanying the president in China, issued this clarification on Wednesday, distancing Mnangagwa’s office from the controversial announcement made by Tafadzwa Muguti, the Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution.
“Kindly note: There is no basis in fact or law to the accompanying announcement attributed to Secretary Muguti. Kindly ignore this miscommunication from an unauthorized office and officer!” Charamba stated on X, further attaching a video of Muguti.
Muguti’s original directive, announced during a press conference in Harare on Tuesday, required all private and public motorists to “immediately” strip their vehicles of tinted windows due to a purported increase in crime involving obscured vehicles.
The announcement notably exempted government and VIP transport, as well as vehicles manufactured with standard shades of tint.
The directive quickly sparked confusion, as previous laws do not impose an outright ban on tinted windows. Statutory Instrument 129 of 2015 mandates that windows must provide “a clear, undistorted vision” and a “safe degree of visibility,” indicating that there are conditions under which tints are permissible.
Legal experts have raised concerns over the authority and validity of Muguti’s statement, cautioning that the police could engage in unlawful actions if they attempted to enforce the measure. Lawyer Obey Shava emphasized, “Police should be careful not to make costly decisions based on a statement which is not fully supported by the law. Tint is allowed on condition certain requirements are met,” as reported by ZimLive.