Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A SHOCKING incident has left the Chimanimani community in stunned silence after a drunken woman set her family’s kitchen hut on fire, resulting in the tragic death of her 72-year-old mother.
The victim was identified as Mbuya Norah Mukonya.
The tragic incident occurred when the deceased’s daughter, Sekai Mukonya, allegedly set the hut ablaze, trapping her inside.
Mbuya Mukonya, who was crippled due to a stroke, was unable to escape the inferno and suffered severe burns. She ultimately succumbed to the inferno injuries.
Her husband, John Mukonya (79), managed to escape from the burning hut unscathed.
Police have arrested Sekai for allegedly setting the family’s kitchen hut on fire, resulting in the death of her mother.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the horrific incident and said the accused person burnt the house “for no apparent reason.”
However, village sources claim that Sekai had a long-standing dispute with her parents, accusing them of causing misfortune in her life.
The specific misfortunes that Sekai claimed her parents had caused, prompting her to take such drastic action, remained unclear, leaving the community to speculate about the motivations behind her alleged crime.
The incident occurred on July 3, around 8pm, when Sekai, who was intoxicated after a night of drinking, approached the kitchen hut where her mother was seated with her father.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said without provocation, Sekai allegedly took a burning wood from the fireplace, exited the hut, and set the thatched roof ablaze from the outside.
“On July 3, around 8pm, Sekai Mukonya (44) came home from a beer drink while drunk. She saw her mother seated in the kitchen hut with her father (John Mukonya).
“For no apparent reason, Sekai said she wanted to set the kitchen hut on fire. She took a burning wood from the fireplace, went outside, and lit the hut’s thatched roof.
“Her father managed to escape the fire, but her crippled mother, who suffered a stroke, failed to escape and was burnt to death.
“The elder Mukonya tried to call his son, Boniface (44) for assistance, but the hut was already gutted with fire. The matter was reported to ZRP Cashel Valley.
“Police attended the scene and arrested Sekai. The deceased’s body was conveyed to Mutambara Mission Hospital for a post-mortem and investigations are still in progress,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
