Harare resident found dead in trench
Dear Harare Westerners and friends
A terrible tragedy befell us on Friday night. Just as I was writing another letter to Liquid Telecom to request responses to the remaining issues of safety, restoration of damaged properties, and access to fibre internet technology the grim reaper struck.
Just around 8pm Mr Munikwa of Bluffhill parked his car along Broughton Drive and walked out so he could join his fellow members of the Sherwood Drive Methodist Church In Zimbabwe at a funeral service for the late Mrs Hlahla RIP.
It was a dark night, and during a power cut. His wife was worried that he did not return home after the service and that his cellphone was unanswered. At daylight she drove back to the Hlahla funeral, and seeing her husband’s car still parked outside she was relieved that he was safe and assumed he had remained at the wake consoling his church mate.
She returned home only to be telephoned, a few hours later, to her horror, to be told that a Methodist congregant, dressed in the red Vabvuwi blazer, clutching his bible, was found dead in a pit right outside the residence where the funeral was, just near his car. The pit, dug in Liquid Telecom’s internet fibre installation exercise had no marker whatsoever. One was only placed after this horrific tragedy. Too late!
When I visited the site of this tragedy I extended my condolences to the Hlahla family for losing their mother, and was touched by their kind gesture of going as a strong delegation to condole with the Munikwas, and direct me to the address. I was encouraged to find representatives of Liquid Telecom at the funeral, who advised that they are assisting with funeral expenses.
I salute the Munikwa family for their calm and composure as they await the outcome of the postmortem examination of their beloved and prepare to lay him to rest.
I trust that the postmortem will indicate the cause of death and guide the family and the law on how to proceed.
Meanwhile, I will continue to engage Liquid Telecom for a resolution of these issues that have turned so needlessly tragic. I believe they should do better- they must properly barricade trenches, mark them with reflective tape and adhere to the 48hr trench rule.
Let us remember the Munikwas MHSRIP and Hlahlas MHSRIP in our prayers and make their burden easier to bear, and be extremely cautious in moving around these trenches.
Your MP Jessie Fungayi Majome
