Harare to get 20 AI-powered traffic cameras by mid-March

AI cameras are about to start clocking Harare drivers in real time, and reckless habits might finally get hit with instant digital receipts.

Harare AI camera rollout

• Ambassador Raphael Faranisi confirmed 20 AI camera sites in Harare.
• Smart poles will rise before March 15, 2026.
• High-risk intersections and accident zones are first targets.
• Phase two shifts the system into Bulawayo.

What the cameras will catch

• AI units will flag red-light runners automatically.
• Speeding drivers get picked up by radar or lasers.
• Wrong-way motorists will trigger instant violations.
• Number plates are scanned without constant human monitoring.

E-ticketing goes fully digital

• Raphael Faranisi said fines move onto a mobile platform.
• Electronic tickets link directly to vehicle registration details.
• Drivers receive app alerts to review and pay penalties.
• Offline motorists must settle fines at police stations.

Why are authorities pushing this

• The government aims to modernize traffic enforcement digitally.
• Automated policing is pitched as cutting corruption risks.
• Consistent detection is meant to deter repeat offenders.
• Harare congestion and accidents pushed urgency.

Regional context and pressure

• Samora Machel Avenue has been flagged for violations.
• Julius Nyerere Way sits among problem corridors.
• Nairobi and Kigali already run similar smart systems.
• Johannesburg has deployed automated traffic enforcement tech.