Harare City Council is moving to bring e-hailing operators under a formal regulatory framework, with Mayor Jacob Mafume arguing that drivers should be willing to contribute part of their income to the city’s coffers.
Speaking as the municipality contemplates a dedicated e-hailing bylaw, Mafume acknowledged that existing transport laws have not kept pace with digital ride-hailing platforms such as inDrive. He said the council is now working with central government to craft rules that align with regional best practice, including examples from South Africa and neighbouring countries.
“There has been a legal lacuna in terms of how e-hailing services are handled in Harare and in Zimbabwe. Our law has not caught up with the innovation that comes with e-hailing services,” Mafume said.
He added that e-hailing drivers “have no issues with sharing their revenue with the City and the citizens” so that infrastructure can be put in place.
The move follows growing tensions between municipal police and e-hailing drivers, who say they are being penalised even though they operate as registered transport providers. Mafume said the city’s transport department has been tasked with quickly drafting a policy that will include stakeholder consultations and determine how existing operators will be treated during a possible transition window.
Harare’s proposed framework is expected to clarify the legal status of e-hailing services, define their obligations to the council, and integrate them with formal passenger transport regulation.
The local authority has not yet announced a timeline for the bylaw, but Mafume indicated that consultations with government and industry players will guide the next steps.