Harare is preparing a dedicated bylaw to regulate e-hailing transport, with Mayor Jacob Mafume urging drivers to accept that they will need to contribute a portion of their earnings to the city.
Mafume admitted that existing transport laws in Zimbabwe have not kept pace with the growth of app-based services like Indrive. The city is now consulting with central government and studying how neighbouring countries regulate similar platforms to develop appropriate rules.
He said the current legal gaps have created confusion for both drivers and municipal enforcement officers. According to the mayor, e-hailing operators should not object to sharing revenue with the council, as the funds would support infrastructure and public services.
The move comes after repeated clashes between e-hailing drivers and Harare municipal police. Drivers have argued they are being penalised unfairly despite operating as legitimate transport providers, while the council says it lacks clear powers to oversee them.
Mafume added that the transport department has been ordered to fast-track a policy that will involve stakeholder consultations. In the meantime, the council is considering whether to give current operators a transitional window as the bylaw is being finalised.
The planned framework will clarify the legal status of e-hailing operators, define their financial obligations to the city, and outline how they will be regulated alongside conventional passenger transport. Harare officials are also looking at models adopted in South Africa and other countries to align with best practices.
