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Moffat Mungazi
Post Reporter
LOSING a loved one can be a really traumatic and entirely nightmarish experience, especially when the Grim Reaper suddenly swoops and snatches a kinsman.
Death dealt a fatal blow to six Buhera families after losing their relatives in a road traffic accident when two trucks collided head-on along the Mugombe-Betera Road last week on Saturday.
The deceased were taken to Murambinda Mission Hospital mortuary, while the injured were ferried to the same health institution.
What is striking about this incident is that the affected people had shown a spirit of camaraderie as they were on that day set to vote in the Zanu PF primary elections in unanimity in the Buhera Central polls.
That unity shone again when they gathered at one rendezvous to be ferried in a truck to the polling station in their Ward 20.
But as fate would have it, disaster struck when they were on their way during the second trip.
As the bloodthirsty Grim Reaper sang its fabled fangs and suck the life out of two comrades at the scene and another on the way to hospital, others frantically helped the survivors by ferrying them to Murambinda Mission Hospital for medical attention.
Unfortunately, three more comrades died at the hospital.
This necessitated the camping of their families at the health institution for the entire duration of the processing of the burial papers.
From last Saturday to Monday, they braved the scorching conditions of the weather and its other vagaries and stayed put outside Murambinda Mission Hospital.
The Manica Post news crew witnessed this show of solidarity on Monday afternoon after visiting the health institution.
For three days, relatives of the deceased – Denford Mugombe (53), Veronica Mugombe (65), Forward Madindi (38), Witness Kashaya (48), Netsai Mukuturi (45) and Tinotenda Madzongera (22) – became one family.
They shared one common goal – that of collecting the bodies of their loved ones and accord them decent burials at their final resting places in Mugombe Village.
Each family’s struggles during the process became a shared concern and collective responsibility.
Perhaps this was precipitated by the fact that some families had blood relations and were also bound by the commonality of hailing from the same area.
Denford Mugombe, for instance, was the husband of Forward Madindi’s aunt.
Denford and Veronica Mugombe were cousins.
Similarly, Lyton Kashaya lost his wife, Netsai Mukuturi and cousin, Witness, in the accident.
Zanu PF Buhera District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairman, Cde Causemore Chimombe said the ruling party shared the families’ losses following the death of the cadres.
He visited those admitted in hospital and also commiserated with the bereaving families camped outside.
“Zanu PF has been robbed of dedicated cadres as they died while on a mission to participate in the party’s internal democracy process of primary elections. We grieve with the families that lost their loved ones and also wish a speedy recovery to those still in hospital,” said Cde Chimombe.
He said the party was looking into ways of assisting the bereaved families as well as the survivors of the accident.
Gladmore Mabhutsu, whose father was behind the wheel of one of the trucks involved in the accident and is admitted in hospital, said he would lend a hand by providing transport to ferry the bodies from Murambinda Mission Hospital mortuary to Mugombe Village.
“We are sharing with the families the burden of burying the deceased. I am here to see my father who is admitted in hospital after sustaining injuries in the accident as well as to see to it that all the logistical arrangements to carry the bodies to their final resting places and other mourners are in place.
“My Toyota Dyna truck is on standby for those purposes. Everyone who can is assisting the families in one way or the other,” he said.
As Chipo Madzongera (41) lost her son Tinotenda in the crash, Edinah Chitauke (42) said she was there to keep her company and offer consolation.
She said: “We come from the same area with Tinotenda’s mother and the six’s deaths have affected us all. Those of us who are here are also representing the rest of the community that stayed behind in the village, but will join us for the burial tomorrow (Tuesday).”
Running around to assist when and where required, Stanford Machemedze (50) was among the first people to arrive at the scene and continued with his role during the processing of the burial papers until the deceased were laid to rest.
“This is a loss, not only to the affected families, but the entire Mugombe area as well as the Zanu PF party. This is the time we have to be there for each other, to offer both material and moral support,” he said.
From Murambinda Mission Hospital mortuary, the bodies of Veronica Mugombe and Netsai Mukutiri were conveyed to their Mugombe rural home for burial in the same truck.
Such was the show of companionship on display as the grief-stricken families united in bereavement when the Grim Reaper visited Buhera.
The deceased six were buried on the same day.
Online Reporter