National

Inyathi man brutally kills granny after tsikamunda says she was sucking his blood

Published

4 years ago

June 13, 2022

BY NOTHANDO DUBE

A man from Inyathi in Matabeleland North brutally killed a 70 year-old woman after a self-proclaimed exorcist (commonly known as tsikamutanda) told him that she was in the habit of sucking his blood for ritual purposes.

Fifty year-old Mehluli Tshuma has since been sentenced to 20 years for the gruesome murder by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese during a recent Hwange circuit court session.

Prosecutor Bhekimpilo Tshabalala told the court that on September 23, 29, Tshuma saw the woman wandering at 2 am around a neighbour’s plot that had been cleared for the construction of a homestead.

Two days later, at 11 am the man was on his way to Inyathi police station in the company of his wife to a make a report suggesting that the woman was bewitching him when he saw her at the plot.

Tshabalala said Tshuma was “overcome with rage” and handed a knobkerrie he was carrying to his wife before picking a log, which he used to strike the woman six times all over her body until she collapsed.

“The accused left the deceased lying down and proceeded to Inyathi Police station where he surrendered himself to the police,” Tshabalala said.

A post-mortem report showed that the woman died due to “severe brain damage, skull bones fracture and head trauma.”

“A log which was used to assault the deceased had a height of 170 centimetres and weighed 1, 7 kilogrammes,” the prosecutor said, adding that Tshuma failed to exercise self-control.

“The accused was supposed to be aware of issues of self-control as he had been told by tsikamutandas four days before the incident and he could have attacked the deceased at that moment,” Tshabalala said.

“After two hits, the old woman asked why the accused was hitting her.

“The accused was not merciful and continued to hit the old woman until she died.

“The accused intentionally wanted to kill the deceased as no first aid was attempted on the deceased.”

Tshuma, through his lawyers, said a tsikamutanda from Gokwe had told him that the woman was bewitching him and sucking his blood.

The tsikamutanda cleansed his homestead because he could not sleep at night and had “strange visions.”

In his ruling, Justice Makonese said although Tshuma was manipulated by the tsikamutanda, he committed premeditated murder.

“The accused was a victim of manipulation by tsikamutandas, but loss of human life cannot be condoned,” the judge said.

“The murder was committed in aggravated circumstances, therefore, I find you guilty of contravening Section 47 of the Criminal (Codification) Act and thereby sentence you to 20 years in prison.

“There is a need for communities to seek amicable ways of solving issues, which involve bringing matters to community leaders and never taking the law to their own hands.”

National

Zimbabwe export surge, diaspora inflows mask funding gaps in foreign affairs sector

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Zimbabwe is seeing strong gains in export earnings and diaspora remittances, but lawmakers warn chronic underfunding is undermining the country’s diplomatic and economic ambitions.

Parliament heard that remittances reached about $1.8 billion by the third quarter of 2025, while exports rose sharply, helping cut the trade deficit. Lawmakers said the diaspora remains “a vital source of foreign exchange, directly contributing to the enhancement of the nation’s foreign reserves and overall economic stability.”

However, MPs said financial constraints are weakening the institutions meant to sustain that growth. The Zimbabwe Foreign Services Institute received only a fraction of its budget, limiting recruitment and training.

“The staffing shortfall has inevitably affected operational efficiency and the institute’s ability to discharge its core mandate,” the committee report noted.

Lawmakers warned that without consistent funding, gains in exports and diaspora engagement could stall, particularly as Zimbabwe pushes toward an export-led economy.

National

Government pushes vaccines drive as MPs warn of rural access gaps, misinformation

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwean lawmakers have called for urgent action to close immunisation gaps, warning that rural communities remain vulnerable due to weak access and persistent misinformation.

Speaking during Africa Vaccination Week, MPs said vaccines remain “among the most effective, equitable and transformative public health interventions,” but coverage remains uneven.

“Persistent gaps endure, particularly in rural and underserved areas where barriers of access, awareness and trust continue to impede full immunisation coverage,” one legislator told Parliament.

Lawmakers urged stronger investment in cold-chain systems and public engagement campaigns, stressing that immunisation is not just a health issue but “a strategic development imperative” tied to productivity and national growth.

National

EcoCash bill splitting signals rise of social commerce in Zimbabwe

Published

5 days ago

April 29, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

EcoCash’s latest bill-splitting feature on its Super App is not just a product upgrade, it is part of a broader shift towards “social commerce,” where financial transactions are embedded directly into everyday conversations.

Traditionally, sending money has been a deliberate, separate action: open the app, enter details, confirm payment. But with EcoCash’s integrated chat environment, that process is being redefined. Payments now happen in the same space where decisions are made — within conversations among friends, families and colleagues.

This development, which is being driven by Sasai Fintech, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, result is a more natural flow between communication and commerce.

This model, often referred to as chat-first payments, is gaining traction globally. Platforms such as Venmo in the United States and Revolut in Europe have popularised the idea of embedding payments into social interactions, allowing users to split bills, request funds and settle expenses within a messaging context.

EcoCash’s move signals that Zimbabwe is aligning with — and in some ways accelerating — this global trend.

Unlike many mature markets where card-based payments dominated before social features were layered on, Zimbabwe’s mobile-first ecosystem provides a different foundation. Mobile money is already deeply embedded in daily life, making it easier to integrate financial services into conversational platforms without requiring a behavioural overhaul.

By placing bill-splitting within its chat interface, EcoCash is effectively turning conversations into transaction points. A group discussing dinner plans can now split the bill instantly. Colleagues organising transport can settle contributions in real time. Families coordinating school fees or groceries can move from agreement to payment without leaving the chat thread.

This convergence of messaging and money is at the heart of social commerce.

From a strategic standpoint, the implications are significant. Each conversation has the potential to generate multiple transactions, increasing activity on the platform while strengthening user engagement. Payments become less of a task and more of a seamless extension of communication.

Industry analysts note that this model tends to drive higher transaction frequency and user retention, as financial interactions become habitual rather than occasional. For EcoCash, the bill-splitting feature is a practical entry point into this space, simple enough to encourage adoption, yet powerful enough to shift behaviour.