Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter
There were heart-wrenching scenes at Zororo Cemetery Park yesterday as First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa joined multitudes of mourners to bury victims of a tragic road accident that claimed 17 lives and left three injured last Tuesday.
Visibly pained and emotionally moved, the First Lady stood shoulder to shoulder with the bereaved families of Samantha Taderera and Wishby Nganima, comforting them in their moment of indescribable sorrow.
Dr Mnangagwa, who has always stood with communities in times of grief and need, moved quietly among the mourners, offering words of encouragement, prayers, and embraces.
Delivering her words of comfort to the families, First Lady Dr Mnangagwa urged all the 17 bereaved families to stay strong during these difficult times.
“May you find comfort in the love and support of those around you. While we mourn their passing, we also celebrate their lives.
“For the time we meet today, we gather beneath the heavy shadow of sorrow, brought by the tragedy that has taken place in precious stories,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said the weight of this moment is immense, as no one can erase the pain or fill the silence left behind.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa consoles Mrs Getrude Zinyemba whose 19-year-old son Wishby Nganima perished in the road accident in Chitungwiza.
“We are here together, united by love, grief and the memories of those we mourn. To the families, friends, and communities grieving this loss, my heart breaks with yours.
“I cannot begin to comprehend, but I want you to know that you are not alone. Your tears, your heartaches, your pain and despair they are felt by all of us,” she said.
The First Lady said that as Zimbabweans, people should be bound together, even in moments of grief.
“Although the wound is fresh and the ache is real, I invite you to hold on to one comforting thought that your loved ones are not gone, rather, they have simply journeyed ahead.
“In this world’s true end, we can find solace in knowing they rest in a divine place, in the life they lived. Their laughter, their kindness, their strength let their memories guide us through the darkness and inspire us to live with the same courage and love that they embraced every day,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa said that in honouring the bereaved, people should not rush to heal, as it is a process that requires its own time.
In line with African customs, Dr Mnangagwa presented chema, a gesture rooted in Ubuntu and traditional compassion by donating hampers of groceries to support the grieving families as they receive visitors during this difficult time.
A Taderera family representative, Yeukai Madzenenga, said that while death is inevitable, its arrival is always painful. However, they were deeply moved by the First Lady’s kind gesture.
“Death comes like a thief, in ways we can never imagine. We are grateful to our First Lady for her comforting words.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa consoles Mrs Chipo Maisiri during the burial of her 20-year-old daughter Samantha Taderera at Zororo Memorial Park in Chitungwiza yesterday.
“We have so many unanswered questions, but we continue to pray that God comforts us and others who have suffered similar losses. May the Lord bless our First Lady for her abundant love,” she said.
A representative from the Nganima family, Ignatius, was at a loss for words.
“We thank you, our First Lady, for your love. Please continue with this spirit not just for us, but for every citizen.
“What happened to us is still hard to comprehend, but your presence, First Lady, brings us comfort,” he said.
Among the mourners, many were deeply touched by Dr Mnangagwa’s personal involvement.
“She didn’t just send a message she came here herself, she sat with us, cried with us, and reminded us that we are not alone,” said one grieving relative, her voice breaking.
As prayers were said and soil gently poured over the graves, the presence of the First Lady brought a sense of comfort, unity, and national compassion.
The First Lady also laid wreaths on the freshly dug graves after the families had done so, pausing at each site in silent reflection, her face etched with sorrow.
In a time of immense loss, Dr Mnangagwa’s deep concern and motherly presence reminded all that healing begins with togetherness.
The tragic road accident that claimed 17 lives along the Harare-Chitungwiza Road last was declared a national disaster.
The victims were accorded State-assisted funerals.
