Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
THE late journalist and women rights activist, Vimbai Nhutsve-Musengi was yesterday buried at the family farm in Mvuma after succumbing to Covid-19, that also claimed the lives of her parents during the same week.
Her husband, seasoned journalist Kudzai Musengi and other family members also got infected.
Vimbai was buried after her parents were buried side by side at their rural home in Chirumhanzu.
Vimbai’s mother died on Monday, she died on Tuesday and her father died on Wednesday.
Her burial was livestreamed on social media platforms.
Mourners were observing Covid-19 rules and regulations.
Vimbai and her parents succumbed to Covid-19 complications while admitted to a local hospital in Gweru days apart.
Her father Mr Nobert Nhutsve, succumbed to Covid-19 on Wednesday hours after her death.
Vimbai died barely 24 hours after her mother had also died of the Covid-19 complications in Gweru.
Mr Nhutsve died while the family was busy making burial preparations for his wife and daughter.
He was a prominent historian and former Midlands Provincial Museums and National Monument manager.
Musengi said he had lost his soul mate.
He said the situation was unbearable and unbelievable.
Musengi said everyone in the family was shaken by the death of his in-laws and his wife.
“We are shaken, we are confused, I am yet to come to terms with this,” he said.
“It still seems like I am seeing some fictitious movie. I can’t explain what is going on around me.”
Musengi said the death of his father-in-law came when they were still busy with funeral arrangements for his wife and his mother-in-law.
“Imagine at a funeral parlour organising burial arrangements for my mother-in-law and wife then you receive another devastating message that the father-in-law has just passed away. It’s just something that one cannot easily understand but that’s the reality that we face as the family,” he said.
Musengi said Covid-19 has caused havoc in the family.
“People are panicking in the family but what can we do, we are stricken,” he said.
Musengi said the family was forced to postpone burial arrangements for his wife and mother-in-law so they could also process burial papers for Mr Nhutsve.
“My in-laws were buried on Thursday in Chirumhanzu and my wife was buried in Mvuma. May their souls rest in peace,” said Musengi.
Meanwhile, the acting regional director National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe Mr Clapperton Gutu mourned the death of Mr Nhutsve describing him as a fountain of Zimbabwean archaeological history.
“He was a fountain of knowledge, one who I would constantly go back to and tap from when it comes to archaeology, he will be dearly missed,” said Mr Gutu.
He said Mr Nhutsve was very close to his wife and his late daughter.
“I worked very closely with him and every time he would refer to his wife and daughter Vimbai, he was very close to them.”
Online Reporter