Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa in GWERU
SEVEN little coffins, one nation in pain.
This was the scene at Gweru Sports Club yesterday, where heart-wrenching moments unfolded as the visibly pained and emotionally moved First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, led multitudes of grieving people to pay homage to seven children who lost their lives in a devastating commuter omnibus fire last week.
The sports club was transformed into a sombre gathering place as women drawn from all the country’s 10 provinces accompanied the First Lady to commiserate with bereaved families mourning the innocent souls, the eldest of whom was seven years old.
Also present were representatives from various church denominations, including Apostolic and Zion churches, as well as representatives from all major Christian denominations in Zimbabwe, among them the Methodist Church,
Evangelical Church, Dutch Reformed Church and several others.
Traditional leaders, Government officials and members of the Gweru community also attended the gathering in solidarity with the bereaved families.
Dr Mnangagwa, who was the chief mourner, struggled to hold back emotion, her voice softened by sorrow, as she moved among parents whose lives have been shattered beyond repair, all united by grief too heavy for words.
The First Lady, who always stands with communities in times of grief and need, comforted the bereaved families, offering words of encouragement during their time of sorrow.
In a show of solidarity, she also led bereaved families and mourners in song and dance in tribute to the seven learners.
Representatives from all provinces and various faith-based organisations took turns performing songs and dances expressing unity, compassion, and support for the grieving families.
In her condolence message, the Chief Mourner said President Mnangagwa, who received the news of the accident with profound sadness and sorrow, shares in the grief of the bereaved families and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the affected families and the nation following the tragedy.
President Mnangagwa has since declared the incident a national disaster, with the funeral being State-assisted.
The First Lady said it was deeply worrying that the nation was still mourning seven learners who died in Gweru and three people in Budiriro, when it was again plunged into grief after nine people died in a bus–train collision at Mutirikwi Railway Crossing in Triangle.
Dr Mnangagwa encouraged the bereaved families to remain strong despite their unimaginable painful loss, assuring them that the nation stands with them during this difficult period.
“To the bereaved families, please be comforted. These lives were lost in a manner that should never have happened.
We are mourning and we are hurting. The oldest child among those who perished here was only seven years old,” she said.
“May you find comfort in the love and support of those around you. 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.”
Dr Mnangagwa added:“I cannot begin to comprehend your pain, but I want you to know that you are not alone. Your tears, heartache, pain, and despair are felt by all of us.”
The Mother of the Nation said she had invited women from all provinces to unite them and foster a culture of standing together, encouraging them to embrace every tragedy as their own, and described the loss as unprecedented and deeply painful.
“Let us continue with that spirit, standing together all the time,” she said.
“After inviting women from all provinces, we have come here as mothers to stand with you. We have taken your pain as our own. No parent ever expects that a child they are raising and caring for will be taken away in such a sudden and tragic manner.”
Dr Mnangagwa urged women, churches, and community members to continue maintaining close contact with the affected families to help them heal from the trauma even long after the memorial service.
“Let us please continue to visit and support these families. We should continue checking on them and helping them heal emotionally,” she said.
“To the bereaved families, we thank God for the precious gifts He entrusted to us. He gave us these children and allowed us to know and love them.”
Dr Mnangagwa commended the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for deploying counsellors to schools affected by the tragedy and called on churches and community leaders to continue offering psychosocial support to learners and families.
The First Lady also advised teachers to remain strong and help pupils cope with the loss of their classmates, helping them process the trauma so that healing continues.
As part of the country’s culture and tradition, Dr Mnangagwa presented her mourning gifts (chema) to each of the bereaved families, including an assortment of food hampers.
Reverend Evas Madaza of the Evangelical Church, who led the church service, said trusting in God and calling on the name of the Lord is a good and powerful thing, even in times of difficulty and hardship.
He reflected on the message of the prophet Habakkuk, noting that faith remains essential regardless of the challenges one faces in life.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Torerai Moyo, expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for his compassionate and decisive leadership in declaring this tragedy a national disaster and granting State-assisted funerals to the bereaved families.
“His swift intervention provided much-needed comfort and reassurance to those affected, demonstrating a leadership that is deeply responsive to the plight of its people,” he said.
“This compassionate gesture underscores the Government’s unwavering commitment to standing in solidarity with its citizens during times of need, while reflecting the values of empathy, unity, and shared responsibility that continue to define the Second Republic. We deeply appreciate this support and solidarity.”
Prof Moyo described the tragedy as a devastating loss for families, schools, and the nation.
“There are moments in life when words fail us. This is one such moment. The pain of losing a child is a burden no parent should ever have to bear,” he said.
Prof Moyo said the tragedy has exposed urgent gaps in learner transport safety and pledged a “whole-of-Government approach” to prevent similar incidents in future.
“The safety of our learners is not negotiable. Every child has the right to travel to and from school in a safe, secure, and properly regulated environment,” he said.
“As the Government, we owe it to the memory of the young lives we have lost to ensure that meaningful reforms emerge from this tragedy and that lessons learned translate into stronger protection for all learners across Zimbabwe.”
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, thanked the First Lady for standing with the people in his province during these difficult times.
“We thank you, Mother of the Nation, for being with us all. We are aware that you do this not only in Midlands Province, but across every corner of our motherland, Zimbabwe.”
“We have lost seven schoolchildren, and this message of hope is very important to us. Churches from different denominations have gathered here to send off our children. Your Excellency, we also wish to thank you for the donations you have made to the bereaved families.”
Minister Ncube also thanked the teachers, headmasters, and political leaders from different districts of Midlands Province who came together to stand with the Mother of the Nation during this send-off.
The vehicle was carrying 32 learners when the fire broke out, rapidly engulfing the vehicle. Twenty-five learners survived the incident, most with minor injuries, and are currently receiving psychosocial support. Seven learners died from severe burns sustained in the inferno.
The deceased have been identified as Alisha Loyo, Peter Tambo, Maengamhuru Thabo, Kith Makarange, Anotida Mawere, Faith Jangara, and Junior Albert Muchenamakumbo.
Meanwhile, the driver of the commuter omnibus, Malcolm Elvis Cook (22), and his conductor, Trinity Mudhenge, remain in custody and are expected to return to court on June 23 facing culpable homicide charges.
The two appeared before Gweru Magistrate Ms Deone Chiroyi following the tragic incident.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that on June 10, Cook picked up schoolchildren from various schools in
Gweru before the conductor allegedly boarded the omnibus carrying a jerry can containing about nine litres of petrol.
Investigators believe the fuel container, which was reportedly placed behind the driver’s seat, may have contributed to the intensity of the fire.
