Two residents from Kariba and Binga have taken the Government to the High Court, seeking an urgent order for the restoration of adequate, safe and reliable ferry services across Lake Kariba following the Mbuya Nehanda ferry disaster.
The urgent application was filed on 25 September 2026 at the High Court in Chinhoyi by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), representing Tonderai Ndevani of Kariba and Chilumbo Mudenda of Binga.
The two are represented by ZLHR lawyers Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Clara Phiri.
The legal challenge comes after the Mbuya Nehanda ferry, operated by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized on Lake Kariba in August, killing 97 people according to reports on the final recovery operation.
According to the applicants, the disaster has left communities that depend on ferry services struggling to travel across the lake and reach their families and other destinations.
The application says a privately operated ferry introduced on 18 September has not been able to adequately meet the demand for transport across Lake Kariba.
The residents also argue that using road alternatives involves lengthy journeys and increased costs.
The application names the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, RIDA and the Minister of Local Government and Public Works as respondents.
ZLHR is asking the High Court to order the authorities to provide adequate ferry services that meet statutory safety standards.
The lawyers are also seeking an order requiring the authorities to submit monthly progress reports to the court within one month of the court order, outlining steps being taken to address the ferry situation.
The application invokes Section 66(2)(a) of the Constitution, which protects freedom of movement, as well as Section 51, which protects human dignity.
It also relies on Section 44, which requires the State and its institutions to respect, protect, promote and fulfil fundamental rights and freedoms.
The applicants are asking the court to declare that the failure to provide adequate ferry services violates their rights to freedom of movement and human dignity.
ZLHR said the legal action is intended to secure urgent relief for communities that depend on Lake Kariba ferry services.
“Through this intervention, ZLHR is pursuing urgent relief for affected residents and court oversight of the authorities’ response, so that communities relying on Lake Kariba ferry services can travel safely, reliably and affordably,” the organisation said.
The ferry crisis follows the 11 August capsizing of the Mbuya Nehanda while travelling from Kariba towards Chalala. The disaster prompted questions over passenger safety and the capacity of the vessel.
Efforts to introduce replacement ferry services have also faced regulatory hurdles. In August, authorities said a privately operated vessel intended for the Kariba-Chalala route had to address structural and safety issues before it could be licensed.