By Brighton Chiseva
During the Easter holidays, videos of churchgoers crossing the swollen Mutirikwi River in tree bark canoes stirred vivid memories of my childhood in Muchibwa, Masvingo South.
I often visited my maternal grandparents in Matigimu Village, under Chief Nyakunhuwa, Zaka, navigating the river’s treacherous waters.
As a young child, after being weaned, I stayed with my grandmother in Zaka and the journey involved a two-hour walk followed by a canoe ride across the river, especially during the rainy season.
These trips became frequent as my grandfather worked at Renco Mine, and we visited him often.
In the 1990s, I grew accustomed to these makeshift canoes, my grandmother’s steady hand guiding me as we navigated the waters with ease.
School holidays meant more crossings, though sometimes we arrived to find the navigators retired for the day, forcing us to seek overnight shelter in Mushawasha homes until morning.
Drier years reduced the need for canoes, and many skilled boatmakers passed away. After completing school, I moved to Masvingo town, losing touch with the river’s challenges.
The recent Easter church gathering brought these struggles back into focus—seeing people risk their lives in canoes to attend services underscored how these communities remain stuck in the past.
The Mutirikwi’s flooding has made life perilous for residents on both sides, forcing reliance on hazardous tree bark canoes. The need for a bridge has never been more urgent.
These makeshift boats, crafted from tree bark, are a desperate relic of a bygone era, highlighting the absence of safer alternatives. For residents of Charingeno, Mudzara, Mushaya, Zingwena, and surrounding areas on the Zaka side, and Renco Mine, Muchibwa, Masarasara, and Mushawasha farms on the Masvingo side, crossing the river is a dangerous necessity.
The river disrupts economic activities, social interactions, and access to education. Learners from Mushawasha must cross to attend Chiira Secondary School in Zaka, facing real risks.
The elderly share haunting stories of lives lost, including Bridget Imbayarwo, who drowned during Cyclone Eline when a canoe she was in with others capsized.
Her father, Jepheys Imbayarwo, said, “Though it’s been two decades, the loss remains fresh. A bridge could have saved my daughter. I urge authorities to act to save lives.”
The Mutirikwi River remains a formidable barrier between Zaka and Masvingo districts, its waters swelling with relentless rains in recent years.
These canoes, while better than nothing, pale in comparison to the sturdy bridges found elsewhere in Zimbabwe. Bridget’s death serves as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking beneath the surface.
Persistent flooding, worsened by crocodiles venturing upstream from Bangala Dam, heightens the peril for those crossing on foot or by canoe. These predators make an already treacherous journey even more dangerous.
The river also threatens social cohesion, as closely knit communities rely on intermarriages, funerals, church services, and traditional ceremonies that require crossings. Even casual gatherings, like beer-drinking sprees, put lives at risk.
Village head Joseph Mutubuki of Matigimu Village echoed Imbayarwo’s plea: “The river isolates us for days, hindering access to Renco Mine and Muchibwa Hospital. A bridge is essential. The only alternatives via Masvingo Town or Chiredzi are costly and time-consuming,” said Mutubuki.
The flooding isolates these communities, limiting participation in vital social events.
Elders recount tales of Zanla soldiers who perished in the river during the liberation struggle, their sacrifices etched in collective memory.
Villager Edward Taru shared, “At night, you hear splashes and voices crossing the river, but no one’s there. Many believe these are the ghosts of Zanla soldiers lost in canoes,” said Taru.
The need for a bridge is critical, as Zaka residents cross daily to access Renco Mine, Muchibwa Hospital, and schools. Women from Chivhuru, Banduki, and Chisara sell vegetables at Renco Mine for their livelihoods. For Mushawasha learners, the lack of a local secondary school forces them to travel to Zaka, a journey made hazardous by this season’s heavy rains. In drier years, crossings were manageable, but the river is now a formidable obstacle.
In the past, entrepreneurs like Mukondori introduced plastic boats as a safer option, but these fell into disrepair during drier years. In 2016, MPs Vincent Mawere (Zaka West) and Walter Muzembi (Masvingo South) planned roads and a bridge to address the issue, but their efforts stalled after losing their seats in 2018. The existing low-lying bridge upstream becomes impassable during floods, rendering it useless.
The call for a sturdy bridge grows louder. These communities deserve safe connectivity to foster economic growth, social cohesion, and security, freeing them from the dangers of a river that has claimed too many lives.
