Kariba ferry death toll rises to 92 as police recover eight bodies
By Naledi Nyoni KARIBA — Eight more bodies have been recovered from Lake Kariba, taking the death toll from the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat accident to 92, police said on Monday. National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said the latest recoveries were confirmed by 3pm on Monday as search and recovery operations continued. Police […]
ARTUZ declares citizens’ day of mourning for Kariba ferry victims
By Staff Reporter HARARE — The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has declared Friday, August 21 a “national” citizens’ day of mourning for victims of the Lake Kariba ferry disaster, calling for accountability over the tragedy. ARTUZ said the reported loss of about 84 lives, including children, should not be treated as statistics, arguing […]
Police sergeant shot dead after confronting husband over daughter’s alleged abuse
By Staff Reporter HARARE — A police officer was shot dead by her husband in Harare on Sunday night, hours after confronting him over allegations that he had sexually abused her 16-year-old daughter, police said. Sergeant Portia Dzanwa, 36, was stationed at ZRP Hatfield Traffic. Her husband, Pharaoh Dombodzvuku, 52, was arrested on a murder charge […]
Lake Kariba ferry disaster death toll rises to 84 as search continues
By Staff Reporter HARARE — The death toll from the Lake Kariba ferry disaster rose to 84 on Sunday after 12 more bodies were recovered, as authorities continued searching for people still missing. Latest figures indicate that 161 people were aboard the government-owned ferry when it sank in rough waters on August 11, far exceeding its […]
Inside the St Martin’s demolition saga — court order, stolen materials and a disputed housing scheme
By Marshall Bwanya HARARE — When bulldozers and other heavy machinery arrived at St Martin’s Phase 2 last Friday, residents watched as homes they say they had built on land purchased from the City of Harare were abruptly razed to the ground. For some residents, years of payments and construction costs, along with hopes of […]
Mhondoro villagers boycott DDC meeting over dam, accuse official of pushing evictions
By Marshall Bwanya MHONDORO — Villagers in Mhondoro last Friday boycotted a meeting convened by Chegutu District Development Coordinator Mark Kadaira over the proposed eviction of 15 families from ancestral land earmarked for a dam linked to Chinese-owned GritMine Minerals’ gold mining operations. The villagers accuse Kadaira of trying to hoodwink them into endorsing the project […]
Mnangagwa declares Kariba boat tragedy a national disaster, flags maritime safety failures
By Naledi Nyoni HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the capsizing of a Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat on Lake Kariba a national disaster, while acknowledging that the tragedy exposed serious shortcomings in Zimbabwe’s maritime safety capabilities. In a condolence message issued on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said 44 bodies had been recovered following the accident, […]
Dozens feared dead after Kariba ferry capsizes with nearly 120 onboard
By Naledi Nyoni HARARE — Dozens of people are feared dead after the Mbuya Nehanda ferry, which connects Kariba town with rural communities in Mashonaland West, capsized on Lake Kariba on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the ferry, which they described as owned by “DDF” — now known as the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) — was […]
Killer serving life and robber jailed for 27 years escape from prison
By Naledi Nyoni MASVINGO — Police have launched a manhunt for two dangerous prisoners who escaped from Mutimurefu Prison in Masvingo early on Saturday. Tafadzwa Janyure Zimirenyika, 27, was serving a life sentence for murder, while armed robber James Masunda, 34, was serving a 27-year sentence. The pair escaped at about 12.10am and were due to […]
Messi’s father Jorge dies aged 68 in Argentina
By Reuters BUENOS AIRES — Lionel Messi’s father and longtime adviser, Jorge Messi, has died aged 68 after a long illness, his family confirmed to Reuters. Jorge died on Friday night at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, where he had spent his final months alternating between hospital care and his home, accompanied by his wife […]