Zimbabwean drivers will soon face mandatory retesting as part of a broader government initiative to modernize driver records and enhance road safety. The Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) revealed plans to introduce periodic retests for all licence holders, citing the need to update health and facial identification data in line with changing personal conditions. While no timeline has been set, officials say the move is part of a forward looking national policy.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, VID official Onesimo Bumhira confirmed that the current metal driver’s licence discs will eventually expire and be replaced by new plastic cards. These cards, introduced in 2023, meet international standards set by SADC, COMESA, and the EAC, and are valid for five years. The government has already begun phasing out the older, open ended metal licences.
Bumhira emphasized that drivers should prepare for the retesting process before their new licence cards expire. “Facial features change with age, and some drivers now wear glasses or face health conditions they didn’t have when first licensed,” he said. He warned that those who wait until expiry risk being unable to drive until they retest and meet new requirements.
VID says the new system aligns with international standards and supports regional interoperability for cross border drivers. The department is currently digitizing its records and cleaning up its driver database in preparation for the rollout. The initiative aims to ensure that all active drivers remain fit for the road and correctly identified in the national system.
Meanwhile, police and transport officials used the same platform to address rising road traffic accidents. Deputy National Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Blessmore Chishaka praised the Zimbabwe Passengers Transport Organisation (ZPTO) for donating a driver monitoring system, now helping traffic officers track speeding and reckless driving. Transport operators were urged to comply, as repeat offenders risk being blacklisted and prosecuted across provinces.
