The tranquility of Mutoko, a region known for its rolling hills and verdant landscapes, has been shattered by a chilling mystery that has gripped a family in its icy embrace. The Zunzanyikas, a family residing in Chief Nyajina’s area, have been haunted by a series of unexplained deaths that have left them reeling in fear and despair, myzimbabwe.co.zw has learnt.
For the past two years, the family has been plagued by a recurring nightmare – the loss of their children, all on the same within the same month of March, after every two years. This eerie pattern, as inexplicable as it is tragic, has left them questioning their fate and desperately searching for answers.
Gogo Angeline Zunzanyika, aged 66, the matriarch of the family, recounts their story with a heavy heart. “We were a large family, twelve children, all raised with love and joy. But then, around the year 2000, things took a dark turn. Our children started dying, one after another. It was like a curse had fallen upon us,” she says, her voice trembling with grief.
Six of her children have succumbed to this mysterious affliction, leaving her with only five remaining. “I don’t know who will be next,” she whispers, her eyes filled with a deep sense of unease.
The family has no clear explanation for the deaths, despite persistent whispers of malevolent forces at play. “The deaths are strange,” Gogo Zunzanyika explains, her voice filled with a mixture of fear and confusion. “One drowned in water, another died from poisoning. Some died without being sick, but all within the same month, after a two-year interval.”
The most recent incident, which occurred after the family returned from a funeral, has left them deeply shaken. “We returned home with my husband, Jonathan Zunzanyika, and drank water from a container on the property. We immediately started feeling ill, with stomach pains, vomiting, and dizziness,” Gogo Zunzanyika recounts, her voice laced with fear. “My granddaughter who I had left at home also experienced the same symptoms.”
Despite boiling the water twice, the family continued to suffer. “I came to Ziko in Chitungwiza for treatment, leaving my granddaughter at home,” she says, her voice filled with a desperate hope for answers.
Upon pouring out the remaining water, Gogo Zunzanyika discovered a traditional concoction substance at the bottom of the container. “We took the poisonous muti and put it in a bottle. We spent a lot of money on medical treatment and consulted prophets who told us that someone had put the poison in the water to make me swell up,” she says, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and despair.
The family is now desperately seeking answers, appealing to traditional healers and prophets to identify the person responsible for the poisoning. They are clinging to any shred of hope, hoping to break the cycle of tragedy that has engulfed their lives.
Shyline Zunzanyika, Gogo Angeline’s daughter, expresses the family’s constant fear and anxiety. “We have no time to rest, we are constantly searching for answers, but nothing seems to come out. My mother and one of the children were poisoned with water, they could have died. They came here to Ziko for treatment, but we are running out of money,” she says, her voice heavy with concern.
She explains that her mother and granddaughter survived by vomiting after drinking milk. This desperate act, a last-ditch effort to save their lives, highlights the dire situation the family finds themselves in.
Samuel Zunzanyika, another son, expresses the overwhelming sense of uncertainty that has gripped them. “We are living in fear, everywhere we go, the whispers are the same, ‘If you play around, you will die’,” he says, his voice filled with despair. The constant fear of death hangs over them, casting a dark shadow over their every move.
70-year-old Sekuru Jonathan Zunzanyika, the father of the family, could not be reached for comment. His silence, while understandable given the circumstances, adds another layer of mystery to the unfolding tragedy.
The two other wives of Mr Zunzanyika, the second and third wives, were also unavailable for comment. Their silence, while understandable given the sensitivity of the situation, leaves many questions unanswered.
The mystery surrounding the deaths has cast a dark shadow over the Zunzanyika family. Their cries for answers echo through the hills of Mutoko, a testament to the devastating impact of unexplained tragedies and the urgent need for support and understanding in times of crisis. The community, shaken by the tragedy, is left wondering if there is a sinister force at play, or if the deaths are simply a cruel twist of fate. The search for answers continues, with the hope that justice and closure will finally be found for this family haunted by a shadow of death.
