Mobility Snapshot advocacy in Harare, Zimbabwe has resulted in speed reduction from 85 km/h to 40 km/h at the intersection of Nemakonde Way and Girton Road. Government authorities have also installed speed bumps, pedestrian crossing, and road signages at the intersection. The newly reconstructed Nemakonde Way is a national highway connecting Harare to Chirundu Border post with Zambia. It passes through several residential communities such as the intersection at Girton Road where there are two primary schools, a private college, a church, and a shopping center. Even though the intersection consists of five lanes and used by 631 pedestrians in peak hour, including schoolchildren, there were no facilities to protect these people.
“We chose this intersection because it was newly reconstructed and while it brought infrastructural improvements for motorized vehicles, it left pedestrians and cyclists behind. Key safety facilities such as pedestrian crossings, traffic calming measures, cycle tracks, and walkways were completely absent”, says Sam Nyaude, Road Safe Zimbabwe Trust.
He further noted that observing children sprinting across the road to avoid speeding vehicles caused palpable fear in the community every day due to high vehicle speeds in both directions during peak hours. “The intersection was a ticking time bomb,” he said.
Achieving changes so far at this intersection resulted from continuous engagement between Road Safe Zimbabwe Trust and government authorities. The NGO presented their Mobility Snapshot data to the Ministry of Transport and convened a consultative meeting with authorities. It continued its engagement with the Ministry of Transport and Zimbabwe Traffic Police, using the results of their snapshot to highlight the dire consequences of omitting pedestrian-focused infrastructure.
While they already obtained commitment from the government to improve the intersection, it however took a devastating turning point for the government to spring to action. A mother attempting to help her child cross the intersection was fatally struck by an oncoming vehicle. This tragedy, which underscores the human cost of inaction, gave new urgency to the NGO’s advocacy. Despite improvements at the intersection, Road Safe Zimbabwe Trust remains committed to ensuring pedestrians and cyclists are prioritized. Facilities such as footpaths and cycle lanes are still lacking, and the NGO continues to advocate for these essential additions.
“Every delay puts lives at risk. The loss of a parent and the countless near misses at Nemakonde Way emphasize why we cannot wait for more tragedies to occur before we act,” says Sam Nyaude.
