Tragedy on the Zambezi

Nust student drowns while trying to save girlfriend

Whinsley Masara & Andile Tshuma Bulawayo Bureau—

A SEVENTH Day Adventist (SDA) youth drowned in the Zambezi River in Binga during a church youth camp, allegedly while trying to save his girl- friend. Muzi Tshuma (22), a second-year student at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), drowned while swimming with a group of youths on Wednesday.The incident occurred at around 2pm in the Zambezi River near Binga Centre.

A source at the camp said church leaders had warned the youths not to get into the water but Tshuma and some friends decided to go for a swim.

“He went into the water trying to save his girlfriend (name withheld) who appeared to be drowning. The girl survived but he went under. The police sub-aqua unit was only able to retrieve the body today after almost 24 hours,” said the source.

The youths are in Binga for a week-long annual conference which kicked off last Sunday.

“We had been divided into several groups which all set out to different places to do different recreational activities. Others went for a boat cruise and hiking.

“Other youths, who witnessed the drowning, had to be attended to by nurses and counsellors to calm them down as they experienced panic attacks,” said the source.

Binga District Administrator Mrs Lydia Ndethi-Banda said the body had been retrieved at around 1pm by a sub-aqua team that arrived in the district on Wednesday night.

“The SDA youths are camped at Binga High School. He (Tshuma) was swimming with his friends when he drowned and the body has just been retrieved,” said Mrs Ndethi-Banda yesterday afternoon.

Sources have said his father, Phanson Tshuma, who is the headmaster of Solusi Adventist High School, had been informed of the tragedy.

They said he had since arrived in Binga from his rural home.

Nust director of information and publicity Mr Felix Moyo said the university had been informed of the drowning.

“We have received information that one of our students drowned in Binga,” said Mr Moyo.

A comment could not be obtained from the church’s head offices as they are closed for the holidays.

Due to increasing drowning incidents, police have constantly urged people not to play in or near water bodies.

In a statement recently, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said cases of drowning normally increase during the rainy season.

“Members of the public should desist from swimming or playing in undesignated or flooded water bodies. We discourage the public from attempting to cross flooded rivers as they risk drowning or being attacked by crocodiles,” said the police spokesperson.