Zimbabwe’s E-Tricycle Crackdown Disrupts Rural Women’s Transport Livelihoods

Rural women in eastern Zimbabwe are facing growing economic hardship after authorities intensified enforcement against electric tricycles used for transport and small-scale trade. The vehicles, introduced as part of a mobility and empowerment programme, have become a key source of income for women in farming communities such as Hauna and Chipinge.

However, police have begun impounding the e-tricycles, demanding driver’s licences, registration documents, and insurance under existing road traffic laws that classify them as motorcycles. Many operators say the required fees—nearly $500 in total—are far beyond their means. Fines for impounded vehicles and repeated raids have further disrupted their businesses.

The crackdown has sharply reduced earnings, with some women reporting their monthly profits falling from about $250 to as low as $70. Many have been forced into debt, cut household expenses, and even reduced meals due to lost income.

The mobility programme, supported by local organisations, was intended to help rural women transport goods like farm produce and provide essential services in areas with limited infrastructure. Operators are now calling for revised regulations that recognise low-speed electric transport and reduce licensing costs to allow continued operation.

Despite ongoing lobbying efforts and government discussions, enforcement continues, leaving many women operating in fear of arrest and struggling to sustain their livelihoods.

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