Online Reporter
Samuel Kadungure
News Editor
CELEBRATED diver Mr Victor Kazembe, popularly known as Coach Rambo, yesterday (Thursday) brought closure to a harrowing six-day search at Ruti Dam in Buhera, recovering the remaining two bodies of four family members who drowned after their fibreglass canoe capsised last Saturday.
On Wednesday and Thursday, he recovered the final two bodies from the water, raising to four the total number of family members retrieved after a fibreglass canoe capsized.
Coach Rambo retrieved the final two victims after the police sub-aqua unit failed to yield results, ending one of the longest recovery operations in the dam’s history.
The bodies were pulled from the gigantic water body, bordering Buhera and Gutu districts, closing the grim search that began when the canoe overturned last Saturday.
He was called in by the grieving family after the police sub-aqua team struggled to locate the missing three bodies.
The haul brings the confirmed death toll to four.
The four were attempting to cross the dam from Gutu to Buhera at about 2am to catch a bus from Ndyarima Business Centre to Harare.
The body of Moreblessing Zvoushe (four) was discovered floating in the dam at around 4am on the fateful day by fisherman, Mr Thomas Gojo, of Mbuya Mhengi Village, Chief Nyashanu, who was attending his routine work.
The body was positively identified by relatives, and later conveyed to Murambinda Mission Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.
No foul play is suspected.
Family spokesperson, Mr Prince Chikonzo told The Manica Post yesterday that the missing bodies of Tecla Rufu, Modreck Rufu and Peacemaker Zvoushe, all from Rufu Village under Chief Mazuru, Gutu, were finally retrieved on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
“The body of Tecla Rufu was retrieved by Coach Rambo on Wednesday morning around 6am. He even assisted us as a family, driving us to the police station so that they would certify the body for burial on the same day as it was swollen and could not be taken to the mortuary. We buried her on the very day at our homestead in Rineshanga, Rufu Village, Gutu.
“Coach Rambo also retrieved the body of our nephew, Peacemaker Zvoushe, whose burial arrangements together with his other late sibling, Moreblessing Zvoushe, are not yet confirmed since they are our late sister’s children, and our in-laws will determine that.
“Our bother, Modreck, who was operating the canoe, was the first to be retrieved yesterday (Thursday) morning by fishmongers. Coach Rambo arrived when his body had been retrieved, and we are making arrangement for his burial beside his sister, Tecla’s grave at the homestead. The bodies will have post-mortem waived since we do not suspect any foul play,” said Mr Chikonzo.
On the heroics of Coach Rambo, the bereaved family could not thank him enough.
“It is difficult to accept the loss of four family members at a go, but that is God’s case, however difficult it may be to accept. It cannot be reversed, but the scars are permanent, and may not heal.
“Death is God’s case, and there is nothing we can do. However, we would like to acknowledge the sacrifice made by Coach Rambo, it left us speechless. We may not be able to thank and reward him for his heroics. We will leave it to God. If he had not accepted our plea to intervene and assist, these bodies would be still under the water, and maybe would have end up being devoured by aquatic creatures. As a family, we will sit down and see what we can do in recognition for his heroics,” said Mr Chikonzo.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the tragedy.
Circumstances were that Modreck Rufu was ferrying his sister, Tecla and her two children across the 500-metre stretch of Ruti Dam, from Rufu Village to Ndyarima Business Centre, Buhera, using a fibreglass canoe.
Tecla intended to board a bus to Harare.
Around 2am, the group allegedly informed fisherman, Mr Silas Mukombe, of Mbwedza Village, Chief Mazuru, of their plan before setting off, and in the process the canoe capsized.
The Police Sub-Aqua Unit from Changadzi, Birchenough, searched the dam for the remainder of the day, but failed to locate the missing three bodies.
The police search operations continued and yielded nothing on Monday, prompting the family to approach Coach Rambo for help.
Coach Rambo burst into the public domain recently after retrieving three bodies from a sewage pond in Budiriro, Harare.
He waded into thick sludge to recover the bodies of two men and a teenage girl, and was rewarded by businessman, Mr Wicknell Chivayo with two vehicles and cash.
He described the Budiriro dive as the most disturbing in his 16-year career, saying he entered the sludge with only an emergency oxygen tank because standard procedures do not allow diving in mud.
