Zimpapers Logo

Freeman Razemba Senior Reporter
Government has commissioned a traffic training centre at Hurungwe Primary School in Murehwa as part of efforts to achieve the United Nations goal of reducing road carnage by 50 percent by the year 2020.

The centre, which was built by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ), was commissioned by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo.

TSCZ also donated 15 bicycles for use at the centre.

Minister Gumbo applauded the TSCZ for coming up with the project.

“No nation that is geared towards achieving the international goal can afford to ignore vulnerable road users, especially the four to seven-year-olds targeted by the Hurungwe Primary School Traffic Training Centre,” he said.

“Indeed, the concept of catching them young in road safety is a tried and tested one.”

Dr Gumbo said the project started off as a brainchild of the Great Zimbabwe University.

He said this relationship between the academia and the community should be maintained, not only by GZU, but by all other institutions of learning.

“A traffic training centre is a place where trainees have the opportunity to learn road rules under safe conditions, which depict real life situations, including traffic signs, signals and road markings,” said Dr Gumbo.

“Trainees are taught how to interpret road signs and signals. They are also made aware of the purpose and the safety objective of each signal.

“In respect of children, they are then afforded the opportunity to ride bicycles and apply what they will have learnt.”

Dr Gumbo said they were also taught to be safe pedestrians, passengers and cyclists.

He said a safe cyclist knows how to communicate with other road users and has a basic understanding of road rules.

“This training centre was constructed in this rural set up in line with the thrust adopted by Government to bring about development to previously disadvantaged communities,” said Dr Gumbo.

“Gone are the days when such centres were only found at former Group A schools and shopping centres such as the Bond Street Shopping Centre in Mt Pleasant, Harare.”

Dr Gumbo said he was also reliably informed that more such centres were under construction in other parts of the country.

He said the centre was going to benefit schools such as Hurungwe Primary and Secondary, Kambarami Primary and Secondary, Murehwa Mission and Central Primary, St Clare’s Primary and Secondary, Rukungwe Primary and Muchenje Secondary.

Dr Gumbo expressed concern over unregistered commuter omnibus and pirate taxis that were operating in the area and along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway.

“This is a disturbing development,” he said.

“I would like to urge the Murehwa community and every other road user to shun unregistered vehicles that are being illegally used to conduct passenger transportation business.

“I appeal to you to use safe and reliable public service vehicles that have proper documentation, including passenger liability insurance that is essential in the event of road traffic accidents.”

Dr Gumbo appealed to police in Murehwa District not to hesitate to arrest people who hang precariously on kombis.