A replacement for the RIDA Mbuya Nehanda ferry that capsized on Lake Kariba last month will only be available in at least nine months, a senior government official has revealed.
The Mbuya Nehanda disaster claimed 97 lives and left entire communities in Kariba, many of whom depend on fishing and cross-lake trade, cut off from essential goods and services.
Deputy Chief Secretary (Presidential Communications), George Charamba, told The Herald that President Emmerson Mnangagwa secured firm investment commitments for maritime transport during his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.
He said the President used the trip to engage business contacts and to acquire vessels to ease the transport challenges facing families in Kariba who were left stranded by the tragedy.
“As the President was engaging the business contacts in the real estate sector, he then assigned the Chief Secretary Dr Martin Rushwaya and a small group of senior officials to visit the maritime side of the UAE, in Dubai, where the Chief Secretary was able to see a variety of water vessels which could in fact be acquired for purposes of ensuring that services across the Kariba Dam are quickly restored,” said Charamba.
“In that scouting mission, the accent was on the safety features of the vessels; it was on the cargo capacity given that the people plying that route are largely peasants who are either in the fisheries or who are buying goods from Kariba town.
“And then of course the third aspect was to look at passenger capacity. The additional feature that we looked at had to do with the refrigeration services on the vessels, considering that the economy we are looking at along the Kariba is basically a fisheries one.”
Charamba said the engagement was successful, but the vessel will take at least nine months to be delivered.
“I am happy to inform you that the engagement was successful, except we were a bit concerned that the lead time for the delivery of the vessel was a bit longer, actually a minimum of nine months.
“And given the urgency of the dire situation that those communities are facing, it is clear that nine months is a month too many.
“Because of that, we then negotiated with the prospective provider of that service that he, in the interim, puts together some temporary vessels which will be manufactured here in Zimbabwe so that they can then play a stopgap measure to ensure that the people living on either side of the Kariba are well-serviced. That was granted.
“Then the waiting period will become bearable for us. We are looking at vessels which can carry up to 40 passengers and with cargo capacity.”
Charamba added that in the long run, Zimbabwe plans to acquire ferries with a capacity of over 600 passengers.
“We are looking at possibly acquiring two so that we meet the demand, but we also transfer people safely.
“So, really, help is on the way in Kariba, but we looked beyond Kariba and said, well, if that formula can work for Kariba, then it can be replicated in almost all our water bodies, which remain largely underserved, if not undeveloped.
“So this is the beginning of a major investment in our water bodies so that they are made passable, and they are also enhanced for purposes of economic activity.”
Source: Mbuya Nehanda replacement vessel at least nine months away ⋆ Pindula News
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