-demands full accountability
SYDNEY MUBAIWA
HARARE- Zvido Zvevanhu People’s Party president Godfrey Matadi has joined the nation in mourning the Kariba ferry disaster describing it as one of the worst maritime tragedy in the Zimbabwean history.
In a statement issued on Wednesday August 12, 2026, Matadi demanded full accountability on what he said was an avoidable accident.
He said the Mbuya Nehanda ferry carried the name of a great ancestor- a name that holds deep meaning in the country’s liberation history, demanding justice for those who perished following its capsizing.
“The Zvido ZveVanhu People’s Party (ZZPP) has received with profound shock and grief the news of the tragic capsizing of the Mbuya Nehanda ferry on Lake Kariba.
“This is one of the worst maritime disasters in Zimbabwe’s history. We will not forget those who perished. We will not forget their names. We will not forget that they were taken from us because of failures that could and should have been prevented.
“The Mbuya Nehanda ferry carried the name of a great ancestor- a name that holds deep meaning in our national consciousness. Let us honour that name by demanding justice for those who perished under it. Let us honour their memory by ensuring that the tragedy becomes the catalyst of real, lasting change.
“May the departed rest in peace. May those still missing be found. May the injured recover and may those who survived find strength to carry on after witnessing what no human being should have to see,” reads part of the statement.
As of Wednesday August 12 ,2026, the Kariba ferry disaster death toll had risen to 44 with police, military divers and emergency teams continue with search efforts.
The identities of those who died have not yet been publicly released as authorities work to notify their families.
The disaster happened on Tuesday when the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency’s Mbuya Nehanda ferry capsized while travelling from Kariba towards Chalala Fishing Camp.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has since declared the tragedy a State of Disaster, allowing additional Government resources to be mobilised for the emergency response.
Matadi described the tragedy as a result of negligence and a failure of government to protect its citizens.
“The Government’s Response Is Not Enough. President Mnangagwa has declared a State of Disaster. We acknowledge this step. But declaring a disaster is not the same as preventing one. This tragedy was avoidable. It happened because of failures. Failures of regulation. Failures of enforcement. Failures of accountability. The government must do more than declare a disaster- it must ensure that those responsible are held accountable…,” further reads the statement.
Indications are that, the ferry’s capacity limits were not enforced and it was carrying more passengers than its capacity.
Government said records showed 114 adult passengers and five crew members were aboard the ferry.
An unknown number of children below ticketing age were also travelling on the vessel, meaning authorities still do not have a definitive figure for everyone who was on board.
The ferry had a stated carrying capacity of 90 people.
The confirmed number of ticketed adults and crew therefore exceeded that capacity even before the unrecorded children are taken into account.
That is expected to place passenger loading and safety procedures at the centre of investigations into the tragedy.
Authorities earlier confirmed that 77 people had been rescued.
However, because the total passenger count remains uncertain, it is no longer possible to calculate reliably how many people remain unaccounted for using the earlier figures.
Search and recovery teams include the Zimbabwe Republic Police Sub-Aqua Unit, Zimbabwe National Army Boat Squadron, Civil Protection authorities and other emergency responders.
Operations have focused on the area around the capsized vessel and surrounding waters.
Officials have warned that hopes of finding additional survivors are diminishing as more time passes.
Reports indicate the ferry encountered strong waves and difficult conditions shortly before it overturned.
However, no final investigation has yet established exactly what caused the vessel to capsize.
Questions are likely to focus not only on weather conditions but also on the number of passengers aboard, enforcement of capacity limits and the safety procedures followed before departure.
The disaster has become one of Zimbabwe’s deadliest recent accidents on an inland waterway, however this is not the first tragedy on Lake Kariba. Five people lost their lives in 2021 in a boat accident and four people died in September 2023.
For families gathered in Kariba, attention now remains on the search operation and the difficult process of identifying those who lost their lives.
Authorities have said operations will continue as they work to account for everyone believed to have been aboard.
