Rutendo Chirume
MASVINGO-Conflicting figures surrounding the number of people aboard the Mbuya Nehanda boat which capsized on Lake Kariba, have fuelled calls for the ZRP to provide timely and regular updates as rescue efforts continue.
The boat capsized on August 11, triggering a search and rescue operation and leaving relatives and members of the public waiting for authoritative information on the number of people rescued, injured, missing or feared dead.
The uncertainty over the number of people aboard the vessel has been compounded by differing accounts emerging from the scene.
A survivor, Learnmore Chambati, who works as a security guard with RIDA and was responsible for collecting boat fares and attending to passengers’ welfare, told national broadcaster ZBC that 153 people were on board, adding that 66 had survived by the time the rescue team arrived.
Chambati’s account has added to the confusion surrounding the official passenger tally, with authorities yet to release a definitive figure.
The ZRP, in its latest statement, said official information on rescued victims, those injured and the deceased would be released “in due course” after the completion of the scene management process. In a post on its official X account (@PoliceZimbabwe), the ZRP reiterated that verified figures would only be shared once the rescue and recovery operations and verification processes are complete, urging the public to rely on official channels for updates.
The police also urged the media, members of the public and people at the scene to exercise caution when releasing figures, saying premature information could result in distortions.
However, the statement has drawn criticism on social media, with members of the public arguing that emergencies of such magnitude require frequent updates to prevent speculation and anxiety among affected families.
One X user, X Monkey, accused authorities of prioritising public relations over the rescue effort.
“Stop managing narratives and start managing rescue efforts. Families deserve truth, not delayed press releases and figure-fiddling,” the user said.
Ruyedzo Mutizwa said authorities could issue preliminary figures and update them as the rescue operation progressed.
“There is always a preliminary report, which is subject to change as rescue efforts continue,” Mutizwa said, arguing that cautioning the public without providing sufficient information could increase anxiety.
Florence Mago also called on the police to provide periodic updates.
“In this era please learn to give periodic updates. Otherwise munotangirwa nedare,” she said.
Frank Chinyoka questioned why information could not be obtained from police officers already deployed in Kariba.
“There is ZRP Kariba on the ground, why not get periodic updates?” he asked.
Chief Svosve said authorities needed to improve their communication during emergencies, warning that prolonged silence allowed social media to become the primary source of information.
“With all due respect, time management is very, very important. When a disaster occurs, frequent updates are equally crucial. Unfortunately, at times @PoliceZimbabwe remain awkwardly silent, resulting in social media taking the lead. Chinjai maitiro,” he said.
While authorities have a responsibility to verify casualty figures before making them official, members of the public are demanding a balance between verification and timely communication and the competing accounts in the Kariba incident have therefore heightened the need for a single, regularly updated source of verified information from authorities.
The ZRP maintains that verified information on the victims will be released once the scene management process has been completed, while rescue and recovery efforts continue.
