Zimbabwe’s e-tricycle crackdown puts rural women’s livelihoods at risk
Summary
In rural Zimbabwe, women use electric tricycles to earn a living by transporting goods and passengers. However, police have recently started cracking down on these vehicles, demanding costly registrations and licenses that many women cannot afford, threatening their businesses and incomes.Key Facts
- Women in rural Zimbabwe use electric tricycles, called Hamba, to transport goods and passengers.
- These e-tricycles can carry up to 450kg and run on lithium batteries with a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
- Around 300 rural women, mostly single mothers and widows, depend on these vehicles for income.
- The cost of annual registration and licensing is nearly $500, which is too expensive for many women.
- Police have begun enforcing traffic laws requiring e-tricycles to be registered and licensed, leading to fines and vehicle impoundments.
- Laws in Zimbabwe treat e-tricycles the same as motorcycles, although these e-tricycles are slower and electric.
- The crackdown started in February 2025, stopping many women from operating their businesses.
- These tricycles also serve as emergency transport in areas with few ambulances.
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