HARARE – The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has announced sweeping new presumptive taxes on commuter omnibuses, taxis, driving schools and goods vehicles, triggering outrage from transport operators and ordinary citizens already buckling under one of the heaviest tax regimes in the region.
Under Public Notice No. 51 of 2025, gazetted on September 5, kombis carrying 8 to 14 passengers will now pay US$50 per month, rising to US$100 for buses carrying 37 passengers or more. Taxi operators face a flat US$35 monthly levy, while driving schools must part with between US$50 and US$100 per vehicle. For haulage trucks, the charge is even steeper: US$200 for vehicles over 10 tonnes, and US$500 for those exceeding 20 tonnes.
ZIMRA has appointed the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) as its collection agent, and operators will not be able to renew licences without proof of payment or a tax clearance certificate.
The tax is payable in Zimbabwe dollars at the official exchange rate, regardless of whether operators trade in foreign currency.
The announcement sparked immediate pushback. Transport associations said the charges would be passed on to passengers, leading to yet another round of fare hikes.
“This is nothing short of extortion,” said one Bulawayo taxi driver. “We are already paying licence fees, fuel levies, insurance and tolls. Now ZIMRA wants more, while people cannot even afford current fares.”
Zimbabwe already collects multiple layers of taxes, from radio licences, VAT and PAYE to road tolls and vehicle licensing. Economists say the latest presumptive levy is evidence of a desperate Treasury seeking to plug revenue shortfalls through taxing the informal sector.
The presumptive tax system, introduced in 2005, has long been resisted by commuter omnibus operators who argue that it unfairly targets small players while doing little to formalise the wider transport sector.
In past years, kombi associations clashed with authorities over enforcement, with many operators accused of dodging payments by operating outside designated routes or avoiding licencing altogether.
