Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa
WHILE Zimbabwe has been celebrating the heroic exploits of diver Victor “Coach Rambo” Kazembe for executing the delicate Budiriro rescue operation, another key figure has quietly emerged from behind the scenes.
He is the man who made the call that brought Coach Rambo to the grim scene of death.
His name is Webster Jaricha, the founder and director of the Convergence Community Emergency Response Team (ConCERT).
As tributes continue pouring in for Coach Rambo, including Wicknell Chivayo’s move to reward him with a Toyota Aqua and US$20,000, Jaricha’s role in coordinating the rescue effort has also come under the spotlight.
Jaricha was among the emergency responders who arrived at the scene after reports that people had been trapped in a mud-filled excavation at a sewer works site in Budiriro.
The incident ended in tragedy, with three bodies eventually recovered following an intensive rescue and recovery operation involving several agencies and volunteers.
Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, on our sister radio station STAR FM, Jaricha explained how he quickly realised the operation required specialised rescue expertise.
“I knew this was something to do with an aquatic environment and the best person I know is a swimming coach, a lifeguard and a rescuer,” he said.
“Coach Rambo is someone I have worked with before. I knew he was the right man for that particular situation.”
Jaricha said he sought approval to engage additional resources before reaching out to Coach Rambo.
“I requested permission to engage a private player and was told to pull together whatever resources which could assist.
“I then called Rambo because I knew he had the skills needed for the operation,” he said.
According to Jaricha, the rescue mission involved a coordinated effort from several stakeholders, including the City of Harare Fire Brigade, ambulance services, community members and volunteer responders.
He said emergency management requires teamwork and careful planning, with safety always taking priority.
“The first responsibility of an emergency response team is to assess the safety of the scene and determine the resources required,” he said.
“When all stakeholders work together, you can facilitate a much better outcome.”
Those who were present during the operation said Jaricha remained at the scene throughout the night, helping to coordinate rescue efforts from around 21:20hrs on Sunday until approximately 04:00hrs on Monday.
He returned the following day and continued assisting as recovery operations progressed.
The Budiriro tragedy has sparked national debate about the importance of emergency preparedness and the role played by volunteer responders during disasters.
Through ConCERT, Jaricha has spent years training communities in first aid, emergency response and disaster preparedness, often working alongside local authorities and emergency services.
Despite growing recognition of his role, Jaricha insists the Budiriro operation was never about individual glory.
“This was a team effort,” he said.
“The Fire Brigade, ambulance services, volunteers, community members and every person who played a role contributed towards the operation, we all did our best under difficult circumstances.”
As the nation continues to salute the bravery displayed during the Budiriro rescue effort, many are now learning about the man behind the scenes whose phone call helped bring one of Zimbabwe’s most recognised rescuers to this delicate operation.
