adminMasvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council has come under fire after one of its vehicles allegedly fatally ran over a two-month-old baby left by its vending mother while fleeing municipal police at Mucheke Terminus vegetable market on Monday.Angry residents overturned the car resulting in it catching fire as the driver and the crew ran for dear life. The body of Polite Mutezo of Pangolin was taken to Masvingo General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem by the police from Chikato who attended the scene.
Chronicle tracked the mother, Sinikiwe Chirungu (24) and her husband Mberi Mutezo (29), and she had no kind words for the council whom she holds responsible for her baby’s death.
“I was selling my merchandise on Monday afternoon at around 12 noon when a municipal police truck arrived. The police had the intention to destroy our wares by running over them. I blame the council for destroying vendors’ wares when all we want is to have a decent living through vending which led to the killing of my baby. It is not fair and it should stop,” said a visibly shaken Chirungu.
“Upon seeing the truck which had a number of municipal police on board, together with other vendors, we fled the area leaving our merchandise at their mercy. The car was reversed on top of our wares and it crushed my baby to death. I had put the baby in a cardboard box and I think the driver thought she was part of my wares since she was wrapped in a blanket.”
Chirungu, flanked by her mother and mother-in-law, said she was devastated that baby Polite died in a cruel way.
“I watched helplessly as I saw the City Council car crushing the head of my baby who I laboured much to give birth to. I endured serious complications before birth considering that my conception went beyond the normal nine-month period.
“Polite was my first child and I was yet to show her to my mother-in-law and other family members,” said the tearful Chirungu.
Mutezo demanded four head of cattle from council as compensation, adding that they were not coming forth on issues to do with burial arrangements.
“We have sat down as a family and agreed that they should pay us four beasts or their equivalent as compensation. However, we are not happy because up to now they have not responded on whether they are going to assist us or not in burying our baby and yet they are at fault today,” said Mutezo.
“I was coming from council to inquire about employment since I normally do casual work there. I met some colleagues who delivered the shocking news. I could not believe until I saw a group of residents gathered. I became numb and collapsed and vendors had to attend to me.”
Officer commanding Zimbabwe Republic Police operations in Masvingo, Assistant Commissioner William Tadyanemhandu confirmed the incident.
Online Reporter