By HRH Princess Eugene Majuru Traditional & Heritage Sovereignty Custodian, Cultural Historian, and Public Service Advocate
The recent, harrowing body retrieval mission at the Budiriro 3 sewage site has once again cast a stark spotlight on the profound spirit of Ubuntu that defines us as Zimbabweans. In the wake of this tragedy, the nation has collectively poured out its heartfelt appreciation for Victor Kazembe—affectionately known as “Coach Rambo.” From emotional messages to tangible gifts, citizens are rallying to honor a man who willingly steps into danger when tragedy strikes.
While this outpouring of gratitude is beautiful and entirely deserved, it also forces us to confront a critical, systemic question: Why are we relying on the sheer exhaustion and raw bravery of unsupported volunteers when the state possesses the infrastructure to protect both the victims and the rescuers?
The Urgency of Swift Action: Air Ambulances Must Be Utilised
An emergency, by its very definition, requires swift and urgent assistance. When a citizen is drowning or trapped, every single second dictates the boundary between life and death. Yet, our current approach forces rescue teams and volunteers to navigate congested roads, driving long distances to reach disaster zones.
Zimbabwe reportedly has an estimated 20 air ambulance helicopters. These state-of-the-art medical drones and helicopters were acquired precisely to save lives. Why, then, are they not seamlessly integrated into our national emergency response framework?
There is absolutely no reason why a rescue team should be driving a car across provinces to respond to a drowning incident or a severe crisis. If we truly want to move forward as a modern nation, authorities must grant Kazembe and other specialized rescue teams direct access to these air ambulances.
Protecting the Rescuers: The Danger of Post-Mission Exhaustion
We must also talk about the welfare of the volunteers themselves. The physical and emotional toll of retrieving a body from a sewage site or a raging river is immense. After executing such a grueling exercise, a rescuer is invariably exhausted, drained, and overwhelmed.
To expect “Coach Rambo” or any other volunteer to get behind the wheel of a car and drive themselves home—or to another rescue site—after such an ordeal is not only unfair, it is dangerous. Exhausted driving invites further tragedy.
A modern rescue framework must account for the physical limits of human beings. Rescuers need to be transported swiftly, safely, and efficiently, allowing them to focus entirely on the mission at hand and recover properly afterward.
Improving Zimbabwe’s emergency rescue plans must become an immediate national priority. As citizens, our role goes beyond donating gifts after the fact; we must actively encourage authorities to map out better, highly coordinated rescue efforts.
The government and emergency services must establish a formal protocol to work alongside proven, skilled volunteers like Victor Kazembe. This integration should include:
Direct communication channels between civil protection units and volunteer specialists.
Immediate dispatch of air infrastructure for rapid deployment to water and sewage rescue sites.
Comprehensive post-mission support, ensuring rescuers are safely transported and provided with the necessary logistical backing.
Honouring Bravery with Structural Change
The community’s response to Coach Rambo proves that the heart of Zimbabwe is full of gratitude and solidarity. But we cannot let our national strategy begin and end with volunteer heroism.
Let us honour Victor Kazembe’s wonderful work not just with gifts, but by demanding a system that protects him and elevates his efforts. It is time for the authorities to ground the cars, clear the airwaves, and launch the helicopters. Our people, and the heroes who save them, deserve nothing less. #Zimbabweairambulances #coachrambo #victorkazembe #highlight #Zimbabwe #zimbabwerescueheroes
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