A sombre atmosphere engulfed communities around Musavezi business centre in Shurugwi rural as villagers woke up to find the lifeless body of Learnmore Bashoma aka Mudzengi lying in a pool of blood.
Bashoma (36) of Mabanga village in ward 13 under Tongogara Rural District Council was stabbed in the neck in the evening of Christmas Day following a misunderstanding over a pool token.
The assailant, 21-year-old Sydney Mudzengi, handed himself over to the police the following morning.
“My brother Lenny was stabbed last night during a misunderstanding over a token,” Bashoma's younger brother told Standard People.
“The guy who killed him had a Columbian knife, he stabbed him and he died on the spot.”
The younger brother said the grim and heart-wrenching image of his brother's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood will forever haunt him.
A crew from this publication that went to the scene in the morning after the fateful night established that Bashoma had been killed around 12 midnight only to have his body collected at around 8am by Tongogara police.
“His relatives slept here until the time police officers came and collected the body,” said one of the villagers.
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“This incident has renewed rivalry between Mabanga and Mudzengi gangs.”
Bashoma was laid to rest last Thursday in his village.
Across ward 13, there were skirmishes at Ganyani business centre on Christmas Day where a villager was severely assaulted.
Lately, there has been a shocking wave of violent deaths during festive seasons across the Midlands province and many other gold mining communities across the country.
Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the news of the gruesome murder of his nephew on Christmas Day.
“Heartbreaking Christmas for some of us,” wrote Gama.
“My sister’s son was stabbed to death by a group of thugs at a place called Matenda in Zvishavane two days ago.
“The devastation in the family is staggering.
“I pray that the thugs are arrested and face justice. I’m shattered.”
Police also said a 21-year-old man died after he was stabbed with a Colombian knife in a revenge attack at Zvibhawabhawa business centre in Zhombe last Monday.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police, 47 murder cases were reported across the country between December 20 and December 26, 2024 putting a damper on festivities.
Midlands province has over the years experienced an increase in gang violence across gold mining areas.
Known as MaShurugwi, the gangs are terrorising mining communities in areas popularly known as Kumakomba.
Their rivalry has since spilled into the villages, where they are making life difficult for those who would have visited their beloved ones in rural areas for the festive season and other family events.
Donga business centre, popularly known as Chachacha, Mbiri business centre, Mukandapi business centre, Mpambadzire business centre, Shurugwi town's Sebanga Park, Surprise and Wanderer Mine are some of the violence hotspots in Shurugwi district.
“I came here to the township for a few hours in case you might be caught in the crossfire when these guys fight,” said one of the revellers at Ganyani business centre on Christmas Day.
“We no longer hangout until late hours as we used to do in the past. There is violence everywhere.
“Christmas in the rural areas is scary and many people are staying behind in the city.”
Mashunye village head Nelson Rugubhe, bemoaned the increase in violence in communities, especially at business centres.
“As village heads, we are trying to preach the gospel of peace, but these young people won't listen,” he said.
“We have noticed that most people working in towns are not coming home for Christmas because they fear violence and those who come no longer visit townships.”
Shurugwi North MP Joseph Mpasi said efforts were being made to curb violence in his constituency.
He said he was encouraging communities to form religious and social groups to help stop crime.
“I have pushed for the establishment of police posts at areas like Dombwe, Chitora and Mpambadzire, among other business centres,” Mpasi said.
“We will have campaigns to curb such criminal activities throughout the constituency this year.”
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said they had come up with a cocktail of strategies to curb violence in the province.
“We have increased patrol deployments in order to increase police visibility while at the same time we have embarked on crime awareness campaigns where we are educating the public to always consider dialogue in solving differences,” Mahoko said.
“The police are arresting wanted persons and fresh case offenders to remove those with the propensity to commit crimes from society.
“As police, we encourage the public to join community policing initiatives where values of upholding the law are inculcated, among other strategies.”
Artisanal gold-mining has emerged as one of the few means of poverty alleviation for poverty-stricken people in the country.
More than 1,5 million Zimbabweans are involved in artisanal mining.
Christmas was arguably the most celebrated holiday in rural areas, but violence seems to be stealing the festive cheer away.
