CALLING COACH RAMBO: THE MAN WHO MADE THE BIG CALL

WHILE Zimbabwe has been celebrating the heroic exploits of diver Victor “Coach Rambo” Kazembe for executing the delicate Budiriro rescue operation, another key figure has quietly emerged from behind the scenes. He is the man who made the call that brought Coach Rambo to the grim scene of death. His name is Webster Jaricha, the founder and director of the Convergence Community Emergency Response Team (ConCERT).

As tributes continue pouring in for Coach Rambo, including Wicknell Chivayo’s move to reward him with a Toyota Aqua and US$20,000, Jaricha’s role in coordinating the rescue effort has also come under the spotlight. Jaricha was among the emergency responders who arrived at the scene after reports that people had been trapped in a mud-filled excavation at a sewer works site in Budiriro. The incident ended in tragedy, with three bodies eventually recovered following an intensive rescue and recovery operation involving several agencies and volunteers.

Speaking during a radio interview on Tuesday, on our sister radio station STAR FM, Jaricha explained how he quickly realised the operation required specialised rescue expertise. “I knew this was something to do with an aquatic environment and the best person I know is a swimming coach, a lifeguard and a rescuer,” he said. “Coach Rambo is someone I have worked with before.

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I knew he was the right man for that particular situation.” Jaricha said he sought approval to engage additional resources before reaching out to Coach Rambo. “I requested permission to engage a private player and was told to pull together whatever resources which could assist. “I then called Rambo because I knew he had the skills needed for the operation,” he said.

According to Jaricha, the rescue mission involved a coordinated effort from several stakeholders, including the City of Harare Fire Brigade, ambulance services, community members and volunteer responders. He said emergency management requires teamwork and careful planning, with safety always taking priority.

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