Parliament of Zimbabwe: National Assembly Sitting 25 November 2025

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF PUBLIC SERVICE, LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE (HON. M. DINHA): I rise to deliver my Second Reading speech on the Occupational Safety and Health Bill. The Bill before you today is a very necessary measure to improve the administration, safety and health of our workers at the workplace. HON. KARIKOGA: INTRODUCTION:Road accidents are among the leading causes of death globally, with approximately 1.19 million fatalities occurring annually (WHO, 2023)1. The burden of road traffic crashes is disproportionately borne by low and middle-income countries, which account for 92% of these fatalities despite having only about 60% of the world’s vehicles (ibid). Zimbabwe exemplifies this trend, ranking as the second-highest country in road accident fatalities, with 41 deaths per 100000 people (World Life Expectancy, 2023)2. Beyond the human toll, the economic consequences are staggering, with road traffic crashes costing the nation an estimated USD 400 million annually, an amount equivalent to a significant percentage of the country’s GDP (TSCZ 2021)3