A chilling incident in the small town of Rushinga, Mt Darwin, has left the community reeling in shock and disbelief. Corporal Henry Ncube, a soldier stationed at the Rushinga Army Base, allegedly shot and killed three people before turning the gun on himself in a fit of jealous rage.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of Friday night, beginning at Chikuni Bottle Store. Ncube, along with a fellow soldier, entered the bar, their presence causing unease among patrons. A heated altercation erupted outside the bar with Justice Makiwa, a 33-year-old local resident. Ncube, fueled by jealousy, accused Makiwa of “stealing” his girlfriend, Evernice Magwenzi, and shot him in the head, killing him instantly.
The violence didn’t end there. As Ncube’s colleague and another man attempted to restrain him, he turned his weapon on them. He shot the colleague in the shoulder, miraculously leaving him alive, but fatally shot the other man, identified as Victor Mufaro Dzaoma, a 38-year-old Central Intelligence Officer (CIO) and a member of the shadowy group Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ).
The rampage continued as Ncube forced his suspected girlfriend, Evernice Magwenzi, back to the army barracks. There, he shot her twice before taking his own life.
The incident has cast a dark shadow over Rushinga Business Centre, with villagers hesitant to speak freely about the tragedy. The death of Victor Dzaoma, a known CIO agent, has added another layer of complexity to the situation, as teachers who do not support Zanu PF are particularly apprehensive.
Sources who spoke to My Zimbabwe News revealed that teachers at Magaranhewe Primary and Secondary School in Rushinga District Ward 12 have been living in fear since the August 2023 elections. They have received chilling death threats from ZANU PF members, contained in petitions signed by 24 people and addressed to the school heads. One petition, dated 31 October 2023, stated, “We no longer want a teacher by the name Benjamin Gumbu at our school, Magaranhewe Primary School with immediate effect. If you continue working with him, he will vacate the school as a dead person.” Victor Dzaoma, also known as “Casper” within the Rushinga FAZ, was reportedly behind these threats and the petitioning of teachers.
The incident comes at a time when Zimbabwe is bracing for a heavy security presence, with soldiers deployed in residential areas ahead of the 44th session of the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, scheduled for August 17th. The government insists that these deployments are “normal” and intended to “assure police visibility”, but the presence of heavily armed soldiers has sent shockwaves through communities like Chitungwiza.
The deployment of soldiers in residential areas, particularly in a context where the government has already launched a crackdown on activists suspected of plotting protests ahead of the summit, has raised concerns about the potential for further human rights violations. Dozens of political and human rights activists are currently incarcerated, highlighting the government’s intensified efforts to suppress dissent.
Meanwhile, a separate incident in Battlefields on Friday left one woman dead and 27 people arrested. Violence erupted between two rival groups, identified as Ziga and Magrigamba, resulting in the death of Matron Mpofu (40) and the destruction of shacks and two vehicles at Matigimu compound. Various household goods, including clothes, furniture and cellphones were set on fire.
Police are investigating both incidents, with national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi stating that a full report would be released tomorrow (today).
