The government has granted e-hailing transport operators a five-month moratorium on regulation, a move designed to give authorities room to review the fast-growing sector and craft a tailored regulatory framework.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube told journalists after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that the interim measures apply to platforms such as Bolt, InDrive, Tap & Go, GoFaster and KOSE. During the moratorium, the government will work with industry players and regulators to develop a self-regulatory framework that improves passenger safety and driver standards.
Ncube acknowledged that app-based transport has become a vital part of Zimbabwe’s public transport system, offering affordable, dignified services and creating jobs, especially for young people. However, he noted that existing regulatory challenges were making it difficult to do business in the sector.
As part of the interim arrangement, e-hailing businesses will be required to register with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), and those already on the tax register must regularise their tax status. This is expected to clarify tax obligations for operators and drivers while bringing the informal-heavy industry into the formal revenue net.
Cabinet has also directed the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to develop specific regulations for e-hailing, in consultation with stakeholders and benchmarked against international best practices. The minister said the ultimate goal is to promote safe, secure, convenient and affordable transport aligned with the National Development Strategy 2.
The five-month break will allow the government to address issues such as passenger safety, driver regulation, taxation and platform operations before permanent rules are introduced. The review forms part of a broader exercise covering 13 priority sectors aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of doing business in Zimbabwe.
The moratorium is expected to give operators breathing space while regulators iron out a framework that balances innovation with accountability.
