By Princess Eugene Majuru
Zimbabwe – Across Zimbabwe, the rainy season has once again exposed a deadly problem: flooded rivers and unsafe bridges. In many parts of the country, bridges are submerged under fast-flowing water. With no guard rails and no visible markings, travellers are forced into impossible choices—wait for hours, or risk their lives by crossing blindly.
Images and eyewitness accounts show people attempting to cross bridges where water flows over the surface, hiding the edges and washing away any sense of direction. Vehicles, pedestrians, and even children are left vulnerable. Each crossing becomes a gamble with death.
A Preventable Tragedy
These are not acts of recklessness alone; they are acts of desperation. Many travellers have no alternative routes. Some are trying to reach hospitals, workplaces, markets, or return home. Yet the danger is obvious: one misstep, one wheel sliding off the edge, and lives are lost.
What makes the situation worse is that most of these bridges have no rails, no warning signs, and no temporary barriers. In flood conditions, the bridge effectively disappears.
Who Should Intervene?
This is a matter of public safety, and responsibility is shared:
The Department of Roads must assess bridge safety and immediately close unsafe crossings.
Local authorities and Rural District Councils should deploy barricades, signage, and community warnings.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) must cordon off flooded bridges and control traffic until water levels subside.
Civil Protection Unit (CPU) should be active on the ground, coordinating emergency responses and rescue readiness.
Members of Parliament and traditional leaders must raise alarms and push for urgent intervention in affected areas.
Silence and inaction cost lives.
Immediate Solutions That Can Save Lives
While long-term infrastructure upgrades are necessary, simple, immediate actions can prevent tragedy:
Cordon off flooded bridges with visible barriers
Place warning signs and reflective markers
Provide alternative routes or supervised crossings
Use community alert systems (radio, WhatsApp groups, local leaders)
No one should be allowed to cross a bridge they cannot see.
It should not take deaths for action to be taken. Authorities must act before tragedy strikes, not after funerals. Protecting citizens during the rainy season is not optional—it is a duty.
Until it is safe to cross, dangerous bridges must be closed. Lives are more important than convenience.
#PublicSafety #ZimInfrastructure #FloodAlert 🇿🇼
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