Hollywood has Rambo, Zimbabwe has Coach Rambo

Remember Deketeke-Municipal Correspondent

For many people who grew up during the 1980s and 1990s, action movies were a primary source of entertainment. Among the most popular characters was John Rambo, the fearless soldier played by Sylvester Stallone. In film after film, he was portrayed as a man who never hesitated to enter dangerous situations, often risking his own life to save others.

While Rambo’s exploits were fictional and played out on cinema screens worldwide, Zimbabwe has a real-life version of the famous action hero. His name is Victor Kazembe, although most people know him simply as Coach Rambo.

Unlike the Hollywood character, Kazembe does not carry weapons or fight enemy soldiers.

His battlefield is water. Over the years, he has responded to emergencies in rivers, dams, swimming pools and flooded areas. Recently, however, he found himself facing one of the most difficult assignments of his career when he joined a recovery operation at a sewage-filled pit in Budiriro 3.

Yet friends and colleagues say his greatest strength is not his ability to swim or dive, but his willingness to answer the call whenever help is needed.

That commitment was once again tested during the Budiriro 3 tragedy.

Initially, the operation appeared straightforward. Reports suggested that one man had fallen into a sewage-filled pit and rescuers were searching for his remains. However, the mission quickly took an unexpected turn.

What began as a search for a single victim ended with the recovery of three bodies — a discovery that shocked rescue teams and residents alike.

Even for a diver with nearly two decades of experience, the scene was difficult to comprehend.

“This incident is very painful,” Kazembe said. “Since I started lifesaving in 2008, this is one of the most unusual and heartbreaking situations I have encountered. The conditions were extremely difficult because this was not ordinary water. It was sewage and thick mud.”

Coach Rambo added: “I wore my gear and, to stay safe, I secured myself with ropes. I gave the fire department guys rope signals and went in, thinking it would be just a routine dive. I went in, and within a minute and a few seconds, I found someone. I was relieved that my effort was not in vain. But after I came out with the victim, the person who had called for help said it wasn’t the body of his friend.

“I went in a second time. When I felt someone and realised he was a man, I came back, thinking my job was done, mission accomplished. After we checked his face, he said that still wasn’t his friend. I told everyone I needed to rest. My legs started shaking — not from the cold, but from fear.

“I rested for an hour and went in again, but things were different this time as I used a different path. I went in, and because the sludge was too thick, I could not walk. After about three minutes without a mouthpiece — which is used for breathing underwater — I found the young man and tried to tie him with the rope. When I told the fire department people holding the rope to hoist me up, I turned upside down with my legs in the air. With their help, they got me out quickly. I just looked to the skies and thanked God for protecting me during these three recoveries.”

He explained that the operation presented unique dangers because divers are generally not trained to work in such environments.

Visibility was almost non-existent, and breathing became increasingly difficult because of the gases trapped beneath the surface.

Although he carried diving equipment for emergencies, navigating through the sludge remained a major challenge.

Despite the risks, Kazembe pressed on because he understood that families were waiting for answers.

He described the operation as a sacrifice made to ensure that the victims could be recovered and laid to rest with dignity.

A few days later, Coach Rambo was back in action as he led search and recovery efforts around the Chitungwiza and Hunyani River areas for Talkmore Mutizwa. Mutizwa drowned after the floating tube he was using burst while he was laying fishing nets in the Hunyani River.

For nearly two decades, Coach Rambo has dedicated his life to saving others. Since 2008, he has rescued drowning victims, recovered bodies from deep waters and trained young people in swimming and lifesaving techniques.

His willingness to go where others fear to venture has earned him admiration in communities across Harare and beyond.

Born in 1987, the 38-year-old developed a fascination with water at an early age while growing up in Kambuzuma.

His journey began at the infamous Kambuzuma Pool of Death, a place feared by many residents because of the numerous drowning incidents that have occurred there over the years. While others saw danger, Kazembe saw an opportunity to learn and develop his skills.

His passion eventually led him to Les Brown Swimming Pool in central Harare, where, while volunteering to clean, he trained alongside experienced swimmers and lifesavers. There, he received guidance from instructors Chris Mukambaidze and Jadson Jiga before continuing his development under another mentor known as Mapanda.

The training proved invaluable. Kazembe learned swimming techniques, rescue procedures and water safety skills that would later become the foundation of his lifesaving career. In 2012, he obtained a Zimbabwe Bronze Life Saving Certificate, a qualification that formalised years of dedication and hard work.

Determined to expand his knowledge even further, he later trained in scuba diving.

The specialised training equipped him with skills that allowed him to operate beneath the water for extended periods and carry out difficult rescue and recovery operations in conditions that many people would consider impossible.

His first major rescue came unexpectedly. One morning, while jogging through Kambuzuma, he heard cries for help from a dam where a woman had jumped into the water.

With bystanders unable to assist, Kazembe immediately rushed to the scene. According to him, he climbed a nearby tree before diving into the dam at an angle that would allow him to reach the woman as quickly as possible.

He managed to pull her from the water and successfully revive her.

That rescue marked the beginning of a journey that would change countless lives. Over the years, he has responded to numerous emergencies involving both adults and children.

Some incidents involved swimmers who ventured into deep water and became trapped, while others involved people who had gone missing and were later discovered beneath the surface.

Each call presented different challenges, but Rambo remained committed to helping those in need.

Since 2008, he estimates that he has rescued or recovered more than 90 people. While many of those individuals survived and returned home to their families, others were not as fortunate. In those cases, his work provided grieving families with an opportunity to recover and bury their loved ones with dignity.

One location that features prominently in his story is the notorious Epworth Pool of Death.

The site has claimed numerous lives over the years and has become one of the areas where Coach Rambo has conducted several recovery operations. He estimates that he has retrieved at least 11 bodies from the pool alone.

Years of working in such difficult conditions have exposed him to situations that would leave lasting memories on most people. Throughout his missions, he relies heavily on faith, saying prayer helps him find the strength to continue in circumstances that many would consider impossible.

Today, when he is not responding to emergencies, Coach Rambo spends much of his time training young swimmers and promoting water safety, as well as riding bikes.

He added that he has two intramedullary rods in both legs — an injury caused by biking. He believes many deaths can be prevented through proper swimming lessons and public awareness campaigns.

Although many people describe him as a hero, Kazembe prefers to view his work as a calling.

His goal has never been fame or recognition. Instead, he says his greatest satisfaction comes from helping others and giving families hope during their most difficult moments.

Like the Hollywood character who inspired his nickname, Coach Rambo regularly enters dangerous situations. The difference is that his missions are not scripted. There are no cameras, no special effects and no second takes. The risks are real, the emotions are real and the people he helps are real.

For 18 years, Kazembe has continued to answer the call whenever tragedy strikes near water.

Through courage, skill and determination, he has built a reputation that few can match.

While Hollywood may have created Rambo, Zimbabwe’s Coach Rambo has spent nearly two decades proving that real heroes do not exist only in movies.