No Law, No Fines as Justice Minister Dismisses Tinting Crackdown

Parliament was thrown into debate on Wednesday after confusion spread over whether tinting car windows is now a criminal offence following an announcement on Tuesday by a senior government official.

Raising the matter in the National Assembly, Zvimba East legislator Kudakwashe Mananzva asked Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi to clarify if drivers could be arrested for fitting tinted windows.

“The law is that when putting tint on a car, it must not prohibit the driver from having a clear line of vision. For side windows, we have not agreed together with Hon. Mhona (Transport Minister), Hon. Kazembe (Home Affairs Minister) and other stakeholders. Government is structured and everything is done in a systematic manner. If we had done that, the law would have come to this august House,” Ziyambi said.

The controversy arose after Tafadzwa Muguti, Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution announced that private cars with tinted windows were now banned — a statement dismissed by presidential spokesperson George Charamba as “mis-communication from an unauthorised office.”

Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Member of Parliament  Prosper Mutseyami pressed Ziyambi further  questioning Muguti’s authority to speak on behalf of government.

“The announcement was made by a government employee who was saying he was speaking on behalf of Government. Was he expressing his own opinion or something he thought on his own, then announced as if it is Government policy?” Mutseyami argued.

In response, Ziyambi said only designated officials are empowered to communicate government positions.

“We have a Government spokesperson who is the Minister of Information, the Permanent Secretary of Information, and the Presidential spokesperson. Hon. Dr Muswere, Mr. Nick Mangwana and Mr. George Charamba are the only three who can speak on behalf of Government and on behalf of the President,” Ziyambi explained.

The issue of motorists already fined over the alleged ban was raised by Kuwadzana East lawmaker Chalton Hwende who asked what measures would be taken against tickets issued in line with Muguti’s remarks.

“There is no policeman who follows social media announcements without a Statutory Instrument. If there is anyone who was given a ticket, they have the right to go to court and the court will take corrective measures. Our policemen are orderly. They do not do that,” Ziyambi said