Zimbabwe Scraps 17-Year Road Access Fee

Zimbabwean authorities scrapped the 17-year-old road access fee, a move designed to slash business logistics costs and eliminate double-charging of foreign-registered vehicles, Daily News reported. The fee, introduced in 2008, had been a persistent complaint from the transport sector, and its removal dismantles a long-standing irritant for cross-border transporters and importers who argued the levy inflated supply-chain expenses. By removing the fee, the government aims to boost trade competitiveness and ease the cost of doing business, particularly for haulage operators moving goods across the region. However, the revenue loss will pressure the fiscus to find alternative funding for road maintenance, which the fee previously supported. The policy shift reflects a broader deregulation push to attract investment and streamline cross-border trade, though the government has yet to outline a replacement funding mechanism for road upkeep.