Tragedy struck in Rushinga on August 10, 2024, when a shooting spree claimed the lives of four individuals, including the perpetrator, Corporal Ncube Henry.
Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and the Central Intelligence Organisation were doing an operation in Rushinga ahead of the 44th SADC summit slated for Harare this August.
The team is said to have been terrorising the community and teachers were also being harassed but refused to be named for professional reasons.
Eye witnesses saw a Rushinga council worker known as Beaven thrown in a vehicle and is reported to have returned complaining of being assulted, his contact could not be attained for verification.
The team returned at Rushinga Business were they started drinking beer.
The soldiers, clad in camouflage uniform and armed with AK47 rifles, were drinking beer at Goto bottle store when a heated argument ensued with patrons.
A police internal communication reports that the soldiers’ presence, armed and in uniform, at the public gathering sparked the altercation.
Members of the public were not comfortable with the way armed uniformed personnel were drinking beer when they appeared to be already drunk.
Justice Makiwa, a civilian had a heated argument with Corporals Ncube and Simbo Tawanda outside the bottle store.
The situation escalated, and Corporal Ncube, aged 32, opened fire, shooting Makiwa, a 33-year-old male, in the head.
Makiwa fell to the ground, and Corporal Ncube continued firing, striking Victor Mufaro Dzaoma, a 38-year-old CIO operative, in the abdomen who had tried to intervene.
Dzaoma could have survived but no one offered assistance as he crawled and pleaded for help. People were afraid to be shot and the way he used to execute his duties were excessive and people watched him dying.
In the chaos, one of the shots grazed Corporal Simbo, who was trying to disarm Corporal Ncube.
Inspector Munemo, who was part of the team, sustained a wound on his right hand, was treated at Rushinga Clinic and discharged.
Corporal Ncube then fled the scene, armed with the AK47 rifle, and proceeded to the Army Barracks where he resided.
Upon arrival, he found his girlfriend, Evernice Magwenzi, aged 18, lying on the bed and shot her in the head, killing her instantly.
In a final act of desperation, Corporal Ncube turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the neck and ending his own life.
The incident sent shockwaves through the community, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and CID Mt Darwin were quickly deployed to the scene.
The bodies of the deceased were ferried to chimhanda Hospital for postmorterm after forensic experts were called to examine the scene.
The motive behind Corporal Ncube’s actions remains unclear, but the incident has raised concerns about the handling of firearms and the actions of military personnel in public spaces.
Investigations are ongoing under Rushinga RRB 6062163 to determine all the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
As the community comes to terms with the loss of life, questions are being asked about what led to this devastating incident and how such tragedies can be prevented in the future.