Harare Dismisses 24 Hour CBD Parking Claims

Rutendo Mazhindu - ZimNow Reporter

The City of Harare has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to introduce 24 hour parking fees in the Central Business District (CBD), stating the claims are false and malicious.

This follows public outcry from informal transport operators and private motorists after media reports alleged that city authorities were considering enforcing parking fees around the clock, beyond the current 8am to 4pm schedule.

According to The Herald, the proposed measure aimed to reduce congestion and increase turnover in parking bays, but Harare residents, taxi drivers, and ride-hailing operators condemned the idea as unjustified and burdensome.

“This is just daylight robbery,” said Raymond Tavengwa, a taxi driver operating along Julius Nyerere Way. “We are already paying parking fees during the day. Extending it to the night is punishing those who are just trying to survive.”

Cottrill Tatenda, an inDrive driver, said the proposal would affect operators who park overnight after working late shifts.

“Most of us work odd hours. Sometimes I park overnight after finishing late jobs. Are they expecting us to pay to rest?” he said.

Another inDrive operator, Amos Matemba, criticised the council for focusing on revenue collection at the expense of service delivery. “We’ve got broken roads, no proper taxi ranks, and now they want to charge us for 24-hour parking. Where is that money going?”

Private taxi operator Petros Chikuni also questioned the logic behind the proposal. “How does making us pay all night reduce congestion? Most cars are gone after 6pm. This is not about decongestion it’s about squeezing money.”

Mboma Mahachi, who works night shifts, warned the alleged move would reduce service availability. “If this goes ahead, I’ll have to cut my hours. It’s already hard enough to make ends meet,” he said.

Speaking to ZimNow, Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said he was not aware of any such policy under consideration.

“That’s news to me,” said Gama. “I haven’t received anything official regarding that proposal.”

The Corporate Communications Division of the City of Harare stated that the claims circulating on social media and in some sections of the media were false.

“The City of Harare has taken note of a false and malicious story by local media claiming that it is planning a 24 hour parking fees policy,” the statement read.

“This is untrue and has never even been considered. If any changes are to be implemented with regards to parking policy, it will be communicated to residents through proper channels.

“We urge residents to ignore the false story. Please contact the City of Harare for any inquiries.”