Parliament has urged the Government to fast-track the long-awaited Road Accident Fund Bill, saying thousands of road traffic accident victims and bereaved families continue to bear the financial burden of crashes while the proposed law remains stalled.
The call came after the Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development revealed that although public consultations on the Bill were completed in all 10 provinces during the first quarter of 2026, the legislation is still awaiting a ministerial peer review before it can be brought before Parliament.
The committee warned that the delay means Zimbabwe still lacks a dedicated fund to support people injured or disabled in road crashes and families who lose breadwinners in fatal accidents.
“The Ministry expects the Bill to be at Parliament by the end of the third quarter of 2026,” the committee reported after receiving evidence from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
The proposed Road Accident Fund is one of several reforms the Ministry had hoped to complete by the end of 2025 but failed to finalise. According to the committee, the Bill has already undergone nationwide consultations and is now awaiting a meeting between the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs under Cabinet’s legislative peer-review process.
Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that Government “should expedite the finalisation of the Road Accident Fund Bill by 30 September 2026.”
During debate, legislators stressed that the Bill should not be allowed to stall further because it forms part of broader efforts to improve road safety and transport governance.
Albert Nyakuedzwa told Parliament that the House should prioritise the legislation, saying:
“The House must recognise that timely enactment of these laws and policies is fundamental to establishing a coherent, supportive legal framework for sustainable transport.”
He added that delaying the Bill could undermine Zimbabwe’s commitments on transport safety and regulation.
“We must expedite the finalisation of the National Transport Policy and the Road Accident Fund Bill to create a robust legal environment conducive to safety, efficiency and innovation.”
As the committee concluded its report, it reiterated that completing the Road Accident Fund Bill should remain one of Government’s immediate priorities alongside the National Transport Policy and delayed road infrastructure projects.
Before debate continued, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda sought clarification on the committee’s implementation timelines. Committee chairperson Tawanda Karikoga confirmed that the recommendation was for the Ministry to finalise the Road Accident Fund Bill by 30 September 2026, prompting the Speaker to emphasise that the necessary resources should also be reflected in the upcoming national budget.