Harare City Council is moving to close the legal gap around app-based transport services such as inDrive, with Mayor Jacob Mafume stating that drivers should not object to sharing a portion of their income with the municipality.
The council is developing a regulatory framework that will define the status of e-hailing operators, their financial obligations to the city, and how they will coexist with conventional passenger transport services. This comes after repeated complaints from drivers who say they are being penalised by municipal police despite operating as registered transport providers.
Mafume acknowledged that current legislation has not kept up with the rapid growth of e-hailing in Harare and Zimbabwe. He said the city is consulting the government and studying best practices from neighbouring countries, including South Africa, to design a workable bylaw.
“We have tasked our transport department to come up quickly with a policy that will consult with the relevant stakeholders and make sure that there is compliance with the law,” Mafume said, according to council discussions.
The mayor also indicated that the council is considering a transition period for existing operators while the full framework is being finalised. He said the city wants to avoid leaving drivers in legal uncertainty and will work with the relevant ministry to determine how current operators should be treated.
The proposed regulations are expected to address licensing, revenue remittance, and enforcement procedures, potentially easing tensions between e-hailing drivers and municipal police. Harare’s move reflects a wider push to formalise the gig economy as more residents turn to app-based rides for short-distance travel.
