Harare – ZIMBABWE ’s vehicle import monitoring system is under scrutiny following revelations that tens of thousands of vehicles brought into the country under Temporary Import Permits (TIPs) have gone missing or remain unaccounted for.
According to the latest report from the Auditor-General, 45,700 TIP both electronic and manual remained unacquitted as of December 31 2021. The situation worsened in 2022, with 26,487 expired electronic TIPs still unresolved.
That year also saw the issuance of 43,385 manual permits but due to poor internal controls, authorities could not verify how many had expired or whether the vehicles ever left Zimbabwe.
“These figures suggest systemic failure and possible illegal retention or sale of vehicles that should have exited the country,” the report noted.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) was singled out for relying on outdated manual systems that hindered tracking and accountability. However, efforts to modernize the system are reportedly underway.
Online application and acquittal processes have since been introduced with the acquittal rate improving to around 90%.
ZIMRA has also introduced roadside checks and is working with law enforcement agencies and local municipalities to verify importer addresses. These measures aim to close loopholes that previously allowed vehicles to vanish into the local market undetected.
In response, Parliament has called for full automation of the TIP process by December 31, 2025. It also recommended establishing a centralized, real-time tracking system. However,similar recommendations were also made in 2018, including better coordination between ZIMRA, the Central Vehicle Registry, and ZINARA to tackle vehicle smuggling and improve compliance.
Despite the reforms, the Auditor-General warned that thousands of previously unacquitted TIPs still pose a challenge. It remains unclear whether these cases will be reconciled or written off.
