HARARE – Two Kariba-area residents have approached the High Court seeking an order compelling the government to provide adequate, safe and reliable ferry ser...
HARARE – Two Kariba-area residents have approached the High Court seeking an order compelling the government to provide adequate, safe and reliable ferry services on Lake Kariba following the August disaster that claimed 97 lives.
The urgent application was filed at the High Court sitting in Chinhoyi by fisherman Tonderai Ndevani, 39, of Batonga, and Chilumbo Mudenda, from Chief Sinakatenge’s area in Binga.
The applicants are challenging the government’s response to the loss of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA)-operated Mbuya Nehanda ferry, arguing that the replacement arrangement is inadequate for communities that depend on the lake crossing.
They want the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, RIDA and the Minister of Local Government and Public Works ordered to provide enough ferries that are safe, affordable and compliant with the law.
The residents are also seeking an order requiring the authorities to submit monthly reports to the court outlining the measures being taken to procure or provide replacement ferries.
The legal challenge follows the August 11, 2026 capsizing of the Mbuya Nehanda on Lake Kariba, which resulted in 97 deaths. A RIDA district official, Ignatius Chiome, was subsequently remanded in connection with a culpable homicide charge arising from the disaster. The State has alleged that administrative failures, overloading and breaches of operational safety procedures contributed to the tragedy.
Following the disaster, the government said it had certified a privately owned ferry to restore water transport services. Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the vessel had undergone the required inspections, while two additional boats were also being procured.
The privately operated vessel, MV Silverstone, was subsequently launched to provide passenger and cargo services along the Kariba-Chalala corridor. The service was intended to reconnect isolated fishing communities that had lost their regular ferry link after the Mbuya Nehanda disaster.
However, the applicants argue that the existing arrangement does not adequately address the transport needs of communities around Lake Kariba.
Ndevani said in his court papers that travelling by road to Mola was unaffordable, putting the cost at between US$40 and US$45. He said the ferry had provided a substantially cheaper and faster means of travelling between communities.
The application argues that the ferry route is an important transport link for residents of rural Kariba, Binga and Kariba town. Residents rely on the service not only for personal travel but also for access to markets, healthcare, education and other essential services.
The applicants are relying on constitutional protections including the right to freedom of movement and the right to human dignity. They want the court to declare that failure to provide adequate ferry services violates these rights and to compel the responsible authorities to act.
The case comes as authorities continue dealing with the wider consequences of the Mbuya Nehanda disaster, including questions about transport safety and accountability.
The government’s response has included greater involvement of private operators, while officials have indicated that additional vessels are being procured. The latest court application will now place the adequacy of those measures before the High Court.
The government and other respondents will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations and requests contained in the application. The court has yet to determine whether the applicants are entitled to the orders they are seeking.
