by JEFFREY MANTAMBABINGA in Binga & AKANI CHAUKE in Johannesburg
Southern Africa Bureau
KARIBA, (CAJ News) – THE Lake Kariba boat disaster has exposed what critics describe as a devastating failure of government responsibility, raising questions about whether adequate safety measures could have prevented the loss of life.
The Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA)-operated Mbuya Nehanda capsized on Tuesday after encountering strong winds on Lake Kariba.
Initial reports placed the number of people aboard at more than 150, while authorities have urged the public to rely on verified figures as rescue and recovery operations continue.
The tragedy is particularly disturbing because the Binga Wave is a recognised danger on Lake Kariba.
Research has identified it as one of the lake’s most dangerous wind and wave phenomena, capable of creating conditions in which small vessels can easily capsize.
Citizens Watch Zimbabwe (CWZ) President Patience Chard said the disaster demonstrated the devastating consequences of allowing infrastructure and public safety to deteriorate.
“My heart bleeds for the families who have lost loved ones. These were ordinary Zimbabweans trying to make a living and move between communities. The tragedy demands answers about why a government responsible for public transport on such dangerous waters would permit safety standards to fall below acceptable levels,” Chard said.
She questioned why a country endowed with extensive mineral wealth continues to struggle with basic infrastructure, including roads, bridges, hospitals, electricity and reliable transport systems.
“Zimbabwe cannot continue exporting its wealth while citizens are left travelling on unsafe roads, ageing vessels and inadequate infrastructure. Where is the money going, and why are ordinary people repeatedly paying the ultimate price?” Chard asked.
The disaster also highlights the importance of early-warning systems and enforcement.
Strong winds and unstable water currents are longstanding hazards on Lake Kariba, while previous research has identified inadequate access to weather information and early warnings among challenges confronting fishing communities.
Chard said authorities should have treated adverse weather warnings as a reason to suspend vulnerable crossings rather than gamble with passengers’ lives.
“Once dangerous conditions are forecast, the responsible decision is simple: stop the journey. Human life must come before schedules, revenue or administrative convenience,” she said.
The broader lesson is that infrastructure is not merely about concrete, steel and roads.
Modern transport networks move people, food and goods efficiently, connect producers with markets, attract investment and create employment.
Properly funded infrastructure also creates jobs in construction, engineering, manufacturing, logistics and maintenance while strengthening businesses and expanding the tax base.
Chard said Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth should finance such development rather than enrich a narrow elite.
“A country with gold, lithium, platinum and other valuable resources should be building modern infrastructure and productive industries. Instead, corruption and resource leakages leave communities carrying the burden,” she said.
The Kariba disaster should therefore become a national reckoning.
Beyond mourning, Zimbabweans deserve an independent investigation into the vessel’s condition, passenger numbers, safety procedures, weather decisions and regulatory oversight.
Chard said that if preventable failures are found, accountability must follow. Lives lost on Lake Kariba cannot simply become another statistic.
– CAJ News