Zimbabwe: MP Says Learners, Teachers Stranded in Rural Kariba Ahead of Schools Reopening

As schools resume on September 8, 2026, dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Nyaminyami, Kariba rural, are stranded. This follows the sinking of a government-owned Mbuya Nehanda ferry on Lake Kariba last month, eliminating the cheapest route from Kariba urban to rural communities like Mola and Chalala. The detour via Karoi-Siakobvu-Mola road costs families over $30, which many cannot afford.

A parent expressed frustration, stating that despite being adjacent to the world's largest lake by volume, their children cannot safely reach school. The Local Government ministry reported that the ferry's 97 victims were primarily children. Mutsa Murombedzi, a Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) Proportional Representation Member of Parliament for Mashonaland West Province, has called for urgent assistance, requesting a shuttle bus for returning learners and teachers, as well as road repairs to facilitate safer transport.

Despite a recent proposal from a private Kariba operator, government officials declined, citing safety concerns over the vessels. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has directed the government to source boats and ferries for inland waterways, particularly Kariba, following a maritime tragedy. A two-stage investigation is underway, spearheaded by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Martin Rushwaya, to deliver immediate relief and establish a long-term solution, focusing on safety and passenger services.

President Mnangagwa's advisor, Paul Tungwarara, recently met with Vikas Goel, a billionaire ship and yacht manufacturer, signaling a potential strategy to secure compliant vessels and build local capacity for lake and dam transportation. The timeline for these solutions remains uncertain.