BINDURA – The small community of Bindura, Mashonaland Central, is reeling from a devastating road traffic accident that claimed the lives of five young children from the same family. The tragedy, which occurred on September 28th along the Harare-Mukumbura road, has left the community heartbroken and demanding answers.
The accident has left an irreplaceable void in the lives of their families and the school. Various news reporters attended the burial of the victims at Bindura Cemetery on October 1st. The grief was palpable, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of this senseless tragedy.
One of the bereaved fathers, whose Grade 7 daughter was among the victims, spoke of his profound loss and his determination to seek justice. He seemed to have suggested that either supernatural powers or dark forces were behind these deaths as he said he does not believe that these deaths were not God’s will. His belief, however, appears to tally with mysterious occurrences that took place during the burial, which saw the five children being buried on two different days.
He stated, “The children were all related, but one of the children was my own. What I want to say is that if this is God’s will, let it be done in His name; however, I don’t believe it is God’s will. I was expecting the authorities to do everything possible to help me heal, even if that means providing compensation for my daughter. She had already written some of her Grade 7 ZIMSEC exams, but for the past two days, she couldn’t write due to this tragedy.
“My daughter is no longer here in this life, and it is so painful. The driver was in the wrong, with some eyewitnesses saying that he was drunk. When I personally arrived at the scene, there were empties and full cans of beer, which shows that this incident didn’t just happen on its own. It was caused by someone under the influence of alcohol, leading them to hit our children.”
The incident is not just a personal tragedy for the families involved; it has deeply impacted the entire Ran Mine Primary School community. Mrs. Katsande, a teacher at the school and Ashley Mabeka’s educator, shared her grief and poignant memories of the young girl.
“We are traumatised and pained by this funeral. As their teachers, we spent more time with them, so we knew and were accustomed to them. I taught Ashley Mabeka, a sweet child who needed attention. Before the accident, just a few days in my class, she was nagging—like kids do,” she said.
“I would tell her to go and sit somewhere else, but now I am in pain because I think that was her way of saying goodbye. The whole class came to this funeral, even though you didn’t tell them. This shows how deeply we were moved by this unfathomable tragedy.”
Another teacher from the school echoed the widespread sorrow, highlighting the future potential lost in the accident.
“Today, we laid to rest three of our students; one in Grade 3, one in Grade 5, and a Grade 7 candidate who was writing ZIMSEC exams. All five children were relatives who were sent to buy something and were tragically hit by a car. Three died on the spot, and two passed away at the hospital. We are heartbroken by this tragedy affecting the family and our school. We had high hopes for these young ones as future leaders, and it’s especially painful that they were all related. We share the family’s grief,” the teacher said.
Beyond the immediate family and school, the wider community is demanding accountability. A close friend of the family expressed a need for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the accident.
“I am a close friend of the family, and I am deeply pained. We need to establish the truth about what really transpired, leading to the deaths of five children and injury and hospitalisation of one victim with a broken leg and hand. Those who can assist, please do so in order for her to receive proper treatment,” she said.
The funerals themselves were not without their own difficulties. The dry ground and subsequent equipment failure delayed the burials, leading to a staggered process over two days.
Tinashe Chitate explained the challenges faced: “As per custom, we should bury people in a timely manner. Of the five children, only two were buried yesterday, even though we wanted to bury them all at the same day and time. We encountered a glitch; the ground was dry, and there was no water, which delayed our ability to finish digging the graves. After employing the services of a machine, it also broke down, and the replacement took time.
“Once the replacement arrived, we only managed to dig two graves. Tradition does not permit open graves to remain unused, which is why two children were buried yesterday, and the remaining three were buried today.”
Timburwa, stationed at the ZNA’s Two Brigade in Cranborne, faces five counts of culpable homicide. The court heard compelling arguments against his release, focusing on the severity of the crime, potential public unrest, and the risk of witness interference.
