Harare — Member of Parliament for Binga South, Hon Fanuel Cumanzala, has demanded an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the reported DDF ferry accident in which people from communities in the Zambezi Valley are believed to have lost their lives while travelling from Kariba towards Chalaala.

In a strongly worded interview, Hon Cumanzala said the tragedy must not be dismissed as another unfortunate accident, arguing that it exposes years of neglect, marginalisation and failure to listen to the concerns of communities living in the Zambezi Valley.

«“This is not simply an accident. It is a tragedy rooted in a system that has repeatedly failed to listen to the people of the Zambezi Valley,” Hon Cumanzala said.»

He said the loss of life was particularly painful because communities in the area have repeatedly raised concerns about transport, ferry safety, poor infrastructure and the difficulties they face in accessing essential services.

According to Hon Cumanzala, the voices of Zambezi Valley communities have too often been ignored until disaster strikes.

«“The people had been crying for attention long before this tragedy. Their cries were ignored. Now, after lives have been lost, we cannot pretend that nobody knew about the challenges they were facing,” he said.»

The legislator said the circumstances surrounding the ferry accident must therefore be subjected to an independent and transparent investigation to establish what happened, who was responsible for the operation and supervision of the ferry, whether safety regulations were followed, and whether previous concerns had been brought to the attention of responsible authorities.

He warned against reducing the incident to human error without examining the broader institutional failures that may have contributed to the disaster.

‘Neglect Has a Human Cost’

Hon Cumanzala said the Zambezi Valley has for decades carried the burden of underdevelopment, with communities struggling with inadequate roads, limited transport services, poor communication infrastructure and difficult access to government services.

He said these challenges are not merely statistics contained in government reports.

«“Neglect has a human cost. When people are forced to depend on unsafe or inadequate transport because there are no reliable alternatives, government cannot wash its hands when disaster occurs,” he said.»

The MP argued that people living along the Zambezi should enjoy the same protection, infrastructure and public services available to citizens elsewhere in the country.

«“A person in the Zambezi Valley is a Zimbabwean citizen just like a person in Harare, Bulawayo or any other part of the country. Their lives must have equal value in the eyes of government,” he said.»

He further called for authorities to establish the identities of all those who were travelling on the ferry, account for every passenger and provide affected families with timely information and support.

Questions That Government Must Answer

Hon Cumanzala said government must provide clear answers regarding the ferry’s condition, its operational capacity, the number of passengers on board, the qualifications of the crew, safety equipment available at the time of the incident and the circumstances leading to the accident.

He also demanded clarity on whether the ferry had undergone the necessary inspections and whether it had been certified as fit for operation.

«“We need answers, not excuses. We need accountability, not another promise that something will be done. If negligence contributed to these deaths, those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.»

He said Parliament should take a keen interest in the matter and ensure that the tragedy receives the attention it deserves.

A Warning About the Zambezi Valley

Hon Cumanzala said the ferry disaster should serve as a wake-up call for government to fundamentally rethink how it delivers infrastructure