Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Chief Executive Officer Zindaba Soko says he also pays fines for exceeding speed limits on Lusaka Highways which have been installed with traffic cameras.

And Soko pledged that RTSA would, in the first quarter of 2019, engage the public to make people appreciate the decision.

This came to light after Economist Chibamba Kanyama ignited a social media debate concerning the “frustratingly” low speed limit declared by RTSA, which he said has forced motorists in Lusaka to drive as though they were in a long funeral procession.

On his Facebook post, Kanyama stated that with such regulatory laws in place, even the seven per cent GDP growth rate would remain just a dream.

“Vehicles in Lusaka now drive as though they are in a long funeral procession. Some vehicles beginning to be mechanically stressed on 60km/h on roads like GER (Great East Road). I foresee the seven percent GDP growth rate a pipe-dream until we make realistic decisions about such seemingly inconsequential laws,” Kanyama’s post read.

Reacting to Kanyama’s post, one concerned motorist named Niven Kambobe doubted if the country would develop and suggested that the Road Transport and Safety Agency should reconsider its decision.

“In this modern day you put a speed limit of 60km? When are we going to develop for crying out loud? Time is a great asset that we must guard and use properly in order to develop therefore let them reconsider their decision,” Kambole stated.

Another motorist named Oliver Simunika urged the RTSA boss Zindaba Soko to revisit the decision because it was a loss on productivity to the nation.

“Zindaba Soko sir…The issue raised by Chibamba Kanyama here is a testimony that we can’t be driving at 60kms as a nation…it’s a loss of productivity as a nation. We spend more time on the road. Secondly, a lot of complaints are raised by citizens with regards to road signs which were only put up after complaints. I actually still have a problem with cameras installed to capture the back of vehicles. How do you drive at 80km and from nowhere reduce to 60km? This is not fair but clearly a witch-hunt for citizens. The fee itself is very high, why?” Siminuka asked.

Then a Simenda Knight Silumesi equally agreed with Kanyama and stated that the 60km per hour drive limit on highways was a sure cause of traffic jams.

“Zindaba Soko I seem to agree entirely with Chibamba Kanyama. A few examples I note [are] Church road at 40km/h and Great East Road at 60km/h appear to be too low. The result has been constant build-up of traffic on these roads. On the other hand, Leopards Hill (around St Mary’s school) at 80km/h appears too high. We need to make necessary adjustments for the good of the citizens and the economy at large,” Silumesi argued.

Another motorist using the name of Gerald Mangani Msoni Chimtenje also added his opinion saying “Zindaba Soko all I can say is that you have a lot of work on your table. You can afford to ignore public outcry in the name of enforcing the law which I guess is dynamic.”