Cycle to School: Harare Mayor Mafume Proposes UZ Students Ditch Cars for Bicycles

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has proposed a bold new initiative, a cycle-to-school scheme, that is expected to benefit University of Zimbabwe(UZ) and Polytechnic students from a health perspective. In a recent interview, Mafume emphasized the urgent need for action to address the city’s persistent traffic congestion.

Harare’s Radical Solution to Decongest City Streets

The Mayor believes that encouraging students to cycle to school and work, will not only reduce the number of vehicles on the roads but also promote healthier commuting habits and combat environmental pollution.

“People need to cycle. We have a huge student population and I do not see the reason why a student should be getting on a car to go to the University of Zimbabwe. To go to the Polytechnic. These students should be on roller skates, bicycles and other healthy forms of transportation,” stated Mafume.

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Contractors Eye Rehabilitation of Cycle Tracks

Mafume revealed that the city has already received proposals from a number of contractors to rehabilitate Harare’s cycle tracks and infrastructure. This suggests a concerted effort to make the cycle-to-school scheme a practical and viable option for students.

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Reducing Congestion & Improving Health

The cycle-to-school plan aims to address Harare’s long-standing traffic congestion issue, which Mafume described as one of the city’s “major problems.” By incentivizing students to opt for bicycles and other non-motorized modes of transportation, the scheme has the potential to significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the roads during peak hours.

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Furthermore, the Mayor believes the initiative will have broader benefits, promoting healthier lifestyles and contributing to the city’s environmental sustainability efforts.

𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Harare Mayor @JMafume says he is open to idea of introducing cycle-to-work, cycle-to-school schemes as a solution to decongest the city’s busy streets.

He says this is also a plan to promote… pic.twitter.com/nd2fYm2BbG

— ZiFM Stereo (@ZiFMStereo) May 30, 2024