The government says it will bring in more boats for the Kariba-Mola-Chalala route after a fatal ferry accident exposed overcrowding and a lack of transport options for communities around Lake Kariba.
The issue was raised in the Senate on Thursday by Senator Irene Zindi, who asked what the government is doing to speed up road maintenance so residents in areas like Mola don’t have to rely so heavily on boats.
She pointed out that there is a road linking the area to other parts of the country, but people still depend on water transport.
Her question came after 97 people died when an overloaded passenger ferry capsized on Lake Kariba on 11 August 2026.
Responding, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said the government is working with the private sector to increase the number of boats on the route to ease overcrowding and improve access.
He said the boat involved in the accident was a government vessel operated by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA).
“The government is doing something because that boat was a government boat under RIDA. We are not stopping, and we are looking at procuring more boats, but if we have more boats, it means we will not have overcrowding,” Mhona said.
He said more vessels are being planned and inspected.
“Very soon there will be a boat that will be coming. We are now analysing it… After inspections, we will inform the nation that it is now allowed to travel, but now we have been warned, and we are going to enforce it differently,” he said.
Mhona said the water route between Kariba Urban and Chalala is only about 64km, compared to 437km by road from Karoi to Chalala, and about 313km by road from Kariba via the shortest route – which is why many residents still prefer boats.
He added that additional boats will come from both RIDA and private operators, which should also create competition and help bring fares down.
“There will be a boat coming up from RIDA as well as the private sector, and the fares will become competitive for the good of the travelling public,” he said.
More: CITE
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