The Government has appointed a four-member Commission of Inquiry led by Supreme Court Judge Justice Joseph Mafusire to investigate the Lake Kariba ferry disaster of 11 August 2026, in which 97 people lost their lives.
The commission was appointed by the President in terms of the Commissions of Inquiry Act to establish a comprehensive factual account of the sinking of the Mbuya Nehanda passenger ferry. The vessel, owned and operated by the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), capsized in the late afternoon while en route across the lake after being caught in strong winds and heavy swells.
The Commission also comprises Dr. Wiklef Makamache and Ms. Patronella Musarurwa as members, with Engineer Joy Makumbe, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, appointed as Secretary to the Commission.
Preliminary information presented to Government indicated serious operational breaches. The ferry had an authorized carrying capacity of 90 passengers but was reportedly loaded with between 150 and 180 passengers, together with household goods, building materials and food supplies. Seventy-seven people were rescued by other boats and emergency teams, with many survivors later reporting that there were insufficient life jackets on board.
The Commission’s detailed terms of reference include establishing the seaworthiness of the vessel at the time of sailing, the availability and use of life-saving equipment, the qualifications and conduct of the crew, and the procedures followed by RIDA officials at the departure point in allowing an overloaded vessel to leave. It will also investigate why warnings issued by the Meteorological Services Department on the morning of the disaster, advising of strong winds and advising small vessels not to sail, were allegedly disregarded.
The inquiry is further mandated to determine whether there was any negligence, misconduct or regulatory failure, to identify persons or institutions that may be liable, and to recommend measures for accountability.
Beyond accountability, Government said the Commission will make far-reaching recommendations to strengthen inland water transport regulation, including stricter enforcement of passenger limits, mandatory safety briefings, vessel inspection regimes and improved weather communication systems for lake operators.
The Commission is expected to hold public hearings, call witnesses, and submit its report within a prescribed timeframe. Its work is aligned to the Government’s Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) priorities, which emphasize institutional accountability, safety of public infrastructure and the sanctity of human life, and ensuring that such a preventable tragedy does not recur.
