12/08/2026
153 PEOPLE. ONE FERRY. AND A COMMUNITY THAT DEPENDS ON IT.
A report by ZBC has brought a devastating reality into sharp focus.
RIDA Security Officer Anymore Chambati, one of the crew members aboard the Mbuya Nehanda DDF passenger ferry, reportedly said that 153 people, including infants, were on board when the vessel capsized on Lake Kariba.
Of the five crew members aboard, only two reportedly survived.
Behind that number — 153 — are human beings.
Mothers.
Children.
Families.
People travelling for work, business, school, healthcare, family responsibilities and simply to get from one side of the lake to another.
And that is where we need to pause.
Because this tragedy may be bigger than the capsizing of one ferry.
For the people of Kariba, Bumi Hills and communities scattered along the Zambezi Valley, transport and infrastructure are not luxuries. They are lifelines.
Some of these communities already contend with poor road networks, long distances, limited access to essential services and the daily realities of living alongside wildlife.
For some residents, a scheduled ferry service across Lake Kariba is not simply another transport option.
It is the connection.
If the ferry operates only on particular days and you miss it, what happens?
Do you wait until the next crossing?
What if you are travelling with a child?
What if you are sick?
What if you are carrying goods that cannot wait?
What if there is an emergency?
And now, following this tragedy, there are questions that deserve clear and factual answers.
How old was the Mbuya Nehanda ferry?
What was its maintenance history?
When was its last major inspection?
What safety and passenger-capacity procedures were in place?
How frequently was the vessel serviced?
Who was responsible for ensuring that the ferry remained safe for the people who depend on it?
There have also been reports circulating that the vessel had been in service for decades.
Those claims need to be independently established.
Because this is not about finding someone to blame on social media.
It is about understanding how a vessel carrying ordinary Zimbabweans reached the point where 153 people were aboard when disaster struck.
And it is about asking a much bigger question:
How do we build a country where communities do not have to depend on ageing infrastructure simply because there is no alternative?
The people living along the Zambezi Valley should not become visible only when tragedy happens.
Their roads, transport, safety, children, mothers matter.
And when a tragedy of this magnitude happens, we should not allow the conversation to end with the rescue operation and the news cycle.
We need to listen to the communities.
We need to hear from the people who use this ferry.
We need to hear from former passengers.
We need to understand the transport situation on the ground.
We need to establish the facts. And we need to ask the institutions responsible for this infrastructure to account for what happened — based on evidence, not speculation.
Panobudika wants to listen.
If you are from Kariba, Bumi Hills or any of the communities along the Zambezi Valley, or if you regularly used the Mbuya Nehanda ferry, we want to hear from you.
Tell us your experience.
How important was this ferry to your community?
How often did you use it?
What happens when you miss it?
What have you observed about the condition and operation of the vessel over the years?
And most importantly, what do you believe needs to change?
This tragedy should not simply become another headline that disappears after a few days.
The people deserve answers.
The families deserve answers.
And the communities deserve to be heard.
Panobudika — telling stories that matter, creating conversations that can lead to impact.
