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Source: “I keep praying he will be found” – Families keep vigil at Kariba Hospital as search for missing persons continues –Newsday Zimbabwe

KARIBA, Aug. 17 (NewsDay Live) — Families of people still missing after the Mbuya Nehanda ferry disaster are maintaining daily vigils at Kariba Hospital, clinging to hope that their loved ones will be found as recovery operations continue on Lake Kariba.

Eight more bodies were retirieved on Monday, bringing the confirmed death toll to 92, up from 84 the previous day. With 67 survivors accounted for, dozens of passengers remain missing, leaving relatives in a state of uncertainty.

For many families, the hospital mortuary has become a place of both grief and fragile hope, as each new recovery announcement triggers a rush of anxious relatives hoping for closure.

Among them is Miriam Tsodzo, whose brother went missing in the August 11 ferry disaster.

“I am coming here daily and every time it is announced that some bodies have been retrieved, I join the mortuary queue hoping that I will find his body but nothing has come so far,” Tsodzo said, her voice heavy with emotion. “I keep praying and hoping that one day, but soon, he will be located so that we close the chapter.”

The emotional toll is deepening with each passing day. Every announcement by the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) that additional bodies have been recovered sends families rushing to the hospital, only for many to return home without answers.

Hospital officials say the condition of the bodies being retrieved is worsening.

“Bodies that were retrieved yesterday had already decomposed and the situation gets worse day by day as the weather pattern changes,” a hospital official said. Rising temperatures and warm lake waters are accelerating decomposition, making identification increasingly difficult and narrowing the window for recovery teams.

For families, the absence of closure is the most painful burden. In many communities, traditional burial rites cannot proceed without a body, leaving relatives in prolonged mourning and financial strain.

“We just want to bury him with dignity,” Tsodzo said. “Even if it is just to see him one last time. This waiting is killing us.”

Mashonaland West Provincial Minister Marion Chombo said government is aware of the suffering and is intensifying efforts to account for all missing persons.

“Government is doing frantic efforts to make sure that everyone missing is accounted for,” Chombo said. “We know families cannot rest until their loved ones are found. CPU, divers and other teams are on the ground daily and we will not stop until we account for all.”

CPU teams, divers, and local fishermen continue search and recovery operations around the accident site, but each day without full results deepens despair among families camped at Kariba Hospital.

As the search enters its second week, relatives say they will continue their daily vigils. For them, the hospital mortuary queue has become a ritual of prayer and waiting — a place where hope and heartbreak meet, and where each new day carries the possibility of finally bringing their loved ones home.

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Source: Mbuya Nehanda Ferry Accident Death Toll Rises To 92 ⋆ Pindula News

The death toll from the Lake Kariba boat accident has climbed to 92, police announced on Monday, 17 August 2026, confirming that the vessel was grossly overloaded at the time it capsized.

The figures mean the passenger ferry, with a carrying capacity of 90, was carrying at least 169 people.

After 77 people were rescued alive, 92 bodies have now been recovered, with the search continuing for more victims.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the toll rose after eight more bodies were recovered from the lake.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that as at 1500 hours today, the Kariba Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) boat accident death toll is now 92 after eight bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba,” said Commissioner Nyathi on Monday afternoon.

The Mbuya Nehanda ferry capsized on 11 August 2026 while on a voyage from Kariba town to Chalala Fishing Camp near Long Island.

Rescue operations began immediately, with 77 survivors pulled from the water in the initial response.

By Sunday afternoon, 16 August, 84 bodies had been recovered from the lake, according to officials at the scene.

A further eight bodies were retrieved on Monday, 17 August by mid-afternoon, taking the confirmed death toll to 92.

Commissioner Nyathi said police have maintained a heavy presence on the lake since the day of the accident.

“Since 11th August 2026, the Commissioner-General of Police has deployed two big boats, two small boats, over 40 police Sub-Aqua members and other resources to co-ordinate the rescue of victims, search and the recovery of bodies from Lake Kariba,” he said.

He said police had also assisted with the lake captain’s mobility and coordinated with other Government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the identification of bodies is swiftly and professionally handled.

The confirmed figures, 77 rescued and 92 dead, put the number of people on board at at least 169, almost double the vessel’s approved carrying capacity of 90. Police have not ruled out that more people remain unaccounted for as search operations continue.

Commissioner Nyathi urged relatives to approach the Command Centre in Kariba and the local police station for any relevant and necessary information on the RIDA Lake Kariba accident.

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MADRID — Long before Yan Diomandé became Real Madrid’s record signing, Samuel Eto’o lifted the Champions League trophy three times and Youssef En-Nesyri helped Morocco make World Cup history, there was a common thread running through their journeys: C.D. Leganés.

The Spanish club may lack the glamour and global reach of Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atlético Madrid, but it has quietly established itself as an important launchpad for African football talent, providing young players with something increasingly difficult to find at elite clubs — a genuine opportunity to play.

Diomandé’s extraordinary rise is the latest and most spectacular example.

The Ivorian winger completed a remarkable transformation this summer when Real Madrid agreed a €125 million deal with RB Leipzig, potentially rising to €140 million. The transfer made the 19-year-old the most expensive signing in Real Madrid’s history and, according to the source material, the most expensive African footballer ever.

Yet less than two years earlier, Diomandé was an uncontracted teenager searching for a route into professional football.

Leganés provided that route.

The club signed him as a free agent shortly after his 18th birthday in late 2024, handing him his first professional contract and initially placing him with the reserves. His progress, however, was almost immediate. After tearing through senior defenders during an internal match, Diomandé caught the attention of first-team coach Borja Jiménez and was soon involved with the senior side.

His LaLiga debut came at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid.

With five minutes remaining, the teenager was introduced and immediately announced himself, bursting into the penalty area, taking on Federico Valverde and creating what could have resulted in a penalty. Leganés eventually lost 3–2, but Diomandé had taken his first steps on one of European football’s biggest stages.

He went on to make 10 first-team appearances for Leganés, scoring twice and providing an assist. RB Leipzig subsequently activated his €20 million release clause — a remarkable valuation for a player who had only just begun his professional career.

Germany accelerated his development further. Diomandé scored 13 goals and registered 10 assists in all competitions, earning Bundesliga Rookie of the Season honours before making an even greater impression at the World Cup.

Real Madrid eventually came calling.

But Diomandé was not an isolated success story.

Almost three decades earlier, Leganés had provided a young Samuel Eto’o with an early platform in Spanish football. Real Madrid sent the 16-year-old Cameroonian on loan to the club in 1997, where he played 30 matches and scored four goals. His career subsequently took him through Real Madrid, Espanyol, Mallorca, Barcelona and Inter Milan, culminating in three Champions League titles and his emergence as one of Africa’s greatest footballers.

Morocco’s Youssef En-Nesyri followed a similar trajectory.

The striker joined Leganés from Málaga as a 20-year-old prospect and developed into a prolific LaLiga forward before moving to Sevilla. His career reached another historic milestone at the 2022 World Cup, when his goal helped Morocco become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.

Nigeria’s Kenneth Omeruo also found continuity at Leganés after years of loan spells elsewhere in Europe. The centre-back eventually made 123 official appearances for the club, the highest total recorded by an African player in Leganés history.

The pipeline remains active.

More than 10 African players are currently progressing through Leganés’ academy and development system. Djibril Gueye has already made his first-team debut, while Gift Siame and David Hamansenya are among those pushing towards senior football. The club has also strengthened its African contingent with the arrivals of Morocco’s Kechta, Tunisia’s Gharbi, Algeria’s Luca Zidane and Cameroon’s Soko.

For Leganés, the strategy is less about discovering finished stars than identifying potential before the wider football market recognises it.

That distinction is central to the club’s role in the development of African players.

The biggest European clubs can wait until a player’s talent has become obvious. Leganés, operating outside that elite financial bracket, has built its model around identifying players earlier and giving them the environment and first-team opportunities required to develop.

Eduardo Cosín, president of C.D. Leganés, said the club wants to deepen its relationship with African football and establish itself as a gateway for African players seeking to enter European football.

“When a player like Yan Diomandé goes from making his professional debut with Leganés to becoming Real Madrid’s record signing, it shows what can happen when talent meets opportunity,” Cosín said.
The numbers surrounding Diomandé tell the story particularly well.

The headline figure is €125 million, potentially rising to €140 million. Before that came €20 million. But perhaps the most revealing number is 10 — the number of first-team appearances he made for Leganés before his move to Leipzig.

Ten matches were enough to alter the trajectory of a teenager’s career and, ultimately, help produce one of the biggest transfers in African football history.

Leganés may not be the final destination for Africa’s emerging football stars. Increasingly, however, it is becoming one of the places where their European journeys begin.

Its motto — “In Leganés, dreams come true” — has acquired a particularly powerful meaning.

For Diomandé, Eto’o, En-Nesyri, Omeruo and the next generation now moving through the club’s system, Leganés is proving that sometimes the road to football’s summit begins far from the biggest stadiums, with a club willing to give a young player his first real chance.

The post Leganés: The Spanish Launchpad Behind Africa’s Rising Football Stars appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

Source: How Many People Were On Board The Mbuya Nehanda Boat When It Capsized? ⋆ Pindula News

No one seems to know how many people were on the RIDA Mbuya Nehanda passenger ferry when it capsized near Long Island on the afternoon of Tuesday, 11 August 2026.

What is now certain is that it was grossly overloaded — and that the confusion over the numbers is making the search for victims harder.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed on Monday that as at 3 PM, the death toll stood at 92 after eight more bodies were recovered from Lake Kariba.

With 77 people rescued alive on the day of the disaster, that means at least 169 people were on board a vessel built to carry 90.

Police have not yet confirmed the exact number who were on board. The search continues for more bodies.

The discrepancies began from the first hour.

On Tuesday afternoon, police initially reported a “DDF boat with 90 people and five crew members” had capsized.

Unconfirmed reports on the ground said it could have been carrying more than 100 passengers.

On Tuesday evening, 77 people were reported to have been rescued. By Wednesday, police said the death toll was 44.

On Saturday, police said 26 more bodies had been recovered, bringing the death toll to 72. That update included the first admission that 18 children were among the dead.

On Sunday afternoon, 84 bodies had been recovered.

On Monday, eight more were pulled from the water, taking the toll to 92.

Between those official counts lie competing estimates of the total on board.

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe claimed that the vessel was carrying 119 people — 114 adult passengers and five crew members, and an unconfirmed number of children.

One RIDA security officer told journalists he had confirmed that 153 people, including children, were on board when it capsized.

The reason for the undercount could be that the number of children aboard was unknown because those below ticketing age were not included in passenger estimates.

Without a manifest, neither police nor the divers know how many bodies are still in the lake’s bowels.

At the time of the accident, it was running with only one functioning engine.

Reports suggest that during the morning of 11 August, winds on Lake Kariba shifted from west to south-west and increased in strength, with gusts reaching approximately 29 km/h by 2 pm.

The south-westerly winds produced large waves on the lake, a phenomenon known as the “Binga Wave”.

According to survivor accounts, passengers had raised concerns about the weather before departure, after a strong gust caused luggage to fall from the vessel while still in harbour.

About 30 minutes into the journey, waves began washing over the vessel and water accumulated inside it.

Survivors said they asked the captain to turn around or seek shelter at Long Island, but he refused.

Water subsequently entered the engine compartment and submerged the vessel’s mechanical bilge pump, preventing it from removing incoming water.

The remaining engine stopped, one passenger claimed the captain switched it off, leaving the vessel without propulsion. It then turned broadside to the waves and capsized.

Some passengers struggled to use life jackets or were unable to locate them during the capsizing.

Some survivors remained afloat by holding onto floating objects, while others climbed onto the overturned hull.

The lack of an accurate passenger list has turned the recovery into a blind search.

Divers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police Sub-Aqua Unit and the Zimbabwe National Army Boat Squadron have been working in deep, drifting water.

One diver said they started at a depth of 51 metres in the morning, but by the end of the day the boat was at a depth of 74 metres as it drifted with the wind towards the Zambian side.

Zimbabwe has had to seek permission to access Zambian waters.

Until an accurate count is established, police cannot declare the search over.

Relatives have been urged to report to the Command Centre in Kariba, but many families still do not know if their relatives were on board, because children, in particular, were never recorded.

The disaster is now the deadliest boat accident of its kind in Zimbabwe, surpassing all previous incidents on Lake Kariba.

The post How Many People Were On Board The Mbuya Nehanda Boat When It Capsized? appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

‘Treasury will not entertain any third parties’

Source: Treasury warns creditors against hiring debt collectors to chase government arrears – Zimbabwe News Now 

HARARE – Treasury has warned government suppliers and contractors against using consultancy firms or other intermediaries to recover unpaid bills, saying the state will not recognise or pay commissions charged for pursuing outstanding arrears.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said some government creditors were engaging third parties to chase payment claims in exchange for fees or a percentage of the contract value.

“Government will not entertain claims or obligations arising from arrangements entered between Government creditors and consulting firms or other third parties for the recovery or facilitation of payment on Government arrears,” Ncube said in a statement.

He said the government would not assume responsibility for any fees, commissions, percentages or other costs arising from such arrangements.

All ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) had been directed not to entertain claims from consultancy firms or other third parties claiming to represent suppliers in recovering government arrears.

Ncube also warned government departments against sending suppliers and contractors to Treasury to follow up on payments, saying this was contrary to established government procedures.

“Treasury would like to unconditionally advise that officials will not entertain or engage any such suppliers or contractors who visit or call on them,” he said.

The minister said creditors should instead pursue outstanding payments through the MDAs that contracted them and follow established procedures for verification, processing and settlement of legitimate claims.

The warning also extends to holders of Treasury Bills, who have been told not to use third parties to follow up on matured bills or their liquidation.

“Treasury will not entertain any third parties,” Ncube said, adding that the government would also not consider requests to discount Treasury Bills because their maturity profiles had been set in line with government cash flows.

Ncube said no consultancy firm, agent or other third party had authority to facilitate, guarantee or secure payment of money owed by government.

“Government creditors who choose to engage such entities do so at their own risk and should not expect government to recognise or settle any resulting fees, commissions or other associated costs,” he said.

The warning comes as government continues to manage substantial obligations to suppliers and contractors, with Treasury seeking to enforce centralised procedures for the verification and settlement of state debts.

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