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Vic Falls girl suicide: Father alleges rape as the cause of daughter’s demise

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BY AWAKHIWE KHUMALO

The father of a 11 year- old Victoria Falls girl who committed suicide has revealed some shocking information where he alleges that his daughter was a rape case victim.

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Patience Happiness Chishemu, a grade five student at Mpumelelo Primary School in Bulawayo committed suicide by hanging herself on a tree in her Njube residency on Sunday afternoon.

The deceased’s father, Mike Chishemu told VICFALLSLIVE in an interview at his Chinotimba residency in Victoria Falls that his third born child was a victim of sexual abuse by a feared serial gangster in Bulawayo.

“Patience visited me here in December last year, and she told me that she needed to talk to me in private,” Chishemu narrated his suspicion of his daughter’s decision to take away her life.

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“We went to the bedroom and she revealed that she had been raped in 2021 and she was advised by a close family member (name withheld for ethical reasons) not to say anything because the person who had raped her was very dangerous and might harm her”

“l the  contacted her mother to try and find out about what had happened, her mother confirmed the incident and said they must not do anything because the person who raped Patience was a serial rapist and a killer but has never been convicted,”

“She was raped again this year by a tenant who lived with her in March and she was unwell after and we had to take her to the hospital,”

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Chishemu said they reported the matter to the police and the man was arrested, although he was released after a few days due to lack of evidence.

“Patience was then taken by an organization that deals with child care and she lived there for about four months where she had been offered psychological therapy, but had clearly not healed.

Way forward:

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“It’s very hard for me to let this go because l have lost a child,” teary Chishemu said as the family prepared to lay her to rest on Thursday last week.

“We will go back to police after this to seek a new investigation into her rape cases and to find out how these people who raped my child are still not in jail.”

What we know so far about Patience’s last Sunday:

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“Patience’s mother is working as a vendor at a market in Entumbane complex, so I was told that her mother had asked her to bring her food which she did not do,”Chishena revealed.

“The mother went back home at around 12pm and found Patience playing with her other friends. In anger, she beat her with a cooking stick then told her again to bring her food to the market.

“At around 3pm, two children from the neighborhood went to the market and told her that patience has hung herself on a tree.”

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Chishemu said when his ex-wife arrived at the scene, she took a knife and she used it to cut the rope that she had used to hang herself, before attempting to render first aid.

“She went on to look for a taxi to take her to the hospital, but  an ambulance passed by and the paramedics tried to assist, but confirmed that she had been deceased.

According to the post-mortem results, the girl died due to suffocation.

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National

“We are losing ground”: Counsellors’ demotivation threatens Zimbabwe’s HIV gains

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The men and women who have been at the heart of Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV — the primary health counsellors — say their morale has hit rock bottom as they continue to work without job security, inconsistent pay, and uncertain futures.

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These counsellors, stationed across hospitals and clinics countrywide, form the backbone of the country’s HIV prevention and treatment programme. They handle testing, counselling, and patient follow-ups — ensuring those on antiretroviral therapy stay in care and that new infections are detected early.

But as Hwange West legislator Vusumuzi Moyo warned in Parliament, the system supporting these essential workers is “crumbling quietly.”

“Their salaries have been very erratic, sometimes going for months without pay,” Moyo told VicFallsLive after his parliamentary question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. “These people are the heartbeat of HIV management. They’re paid from the Global Fund, but payments have not been consistent, and the government has taken too long to incorporate them into the civil service.”

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Currently, the counsellors are funded under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) — a donor mechanism that has kept thousands of Zimbabwean health posts afloat for years.

However, global aid shifts, including the ripple effects of the U.S. administration’s restrictions on foreign aid, have made their positions increasingly vulnerable.

Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora confirmed during a recent parliamentary session that staff bids had been submitted to Treasury for approval to absorb counsellors into the government payroll.

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He said that while donor funding has decreased, both the U.S. Government and Global Fund have continued to prioritise support for human resources at primary healthcare level.

Still, for many of the counsellors — and for communities relying on them — the wait has been too long.

Moyo painted a grim picture of what’s happening in hospitals.

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“If you go to referral hospitals like Forrester, you’ll find that about 90% of male ward patients are people who have defaulted on treatment,” he said. “It’s because counsellors are no longer motivated. They used to follow up with patients, call them if they missed visits, and make sure they stayed in care. But now, with no pay or recognition, there’s no incentive to keep doing that work.”

He warned that the country’s AIDS-related deaths are rising again, undoing the progress Zimbabwe had made in reducing HIV prevalence.

“Our statistics had been improving — even other countries were benchmarking our model. But now, it’s as if we’re back to the old days. You see people sick again, wards filling up, and that speaks to a system that’s failing quietly,” Moyo added.

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Zimbabwe has long been recognised as one of Africa’s HIV success stories, cutting its national prevalence from over 26% in the early 2000s to around 11% today, according to research studies. Much of that progress was driven by a strong network of community-based counsellors who ensured people were tested, treated, and supported.

 

 

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Bulawayo mourns Nkulumane MP and poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The City of Bulawayo has expressed deep sorrow following the death of Nkulumane MP and acclaimed poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo, who died in a car accident early Friday morning near Shangani.

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In a condolence message issued by Town Clerk Christopher Dube on behalf of the Mayor, Senator David Coltart, councillors, and residents, the city described Moyo as “an iconic leader, poet par excellence, and creative who strove to champion the arts in Bulawayo and beyond.”

Moyo, who was affectionately known as Moyoxide, was praised for his commitment to the city’s artistic and civic development. The statement highlighted his impact through his multiple roles — as a Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, a community leader, and a poet who spoke out against injustices while advocating for progress.

“He positively impacted the city through his roles as a leader and poet who challenged all for the development of Bulawayo and the country,” read part of the statement.

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The City of Bulawayo also extended its condolences to the Moyo family, the Bulawayo community, and the nation at large.

“May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the statement added.

The city further wished a speedy recovery to other CCC legislators who were injured in the same accident — Honourables Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda.

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CCC legislators in road accident, Nkulumane MP dies

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BY STAFF REPORTER

One Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator has died while four others were seriously injured in a road accident that occurred early Friday morning near Shangani along Bulawayo-Harare highway.

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CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi confirmed the accident, saying it happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the vehicle carrying the members collided with an elephant.

“The vehicle hit an elephant along the Shangani area, and unfortunately Honourable Desire Moyo, the Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, died on the scene,” Nkwananzi said.

He added that the other occupants — Honourable Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Honourable Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda — sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Bulawayo.

Nkwananzi said he was deeply shocked by Moyo’s death, as he had met him just yesterday in Harare.

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“I had seen Moyo yesterday and we spent about an hour chatting outside Jamieson Hotel about the party and our future plans for national development,” he said. “I’m gutted by his passing. It’s a huge loss for the party.”

He conveyed his condolences to the Moyo family and wished a speedy recovery and strength to the families of the other CCC members who remain in critical condition.

He said further details, including the name of the hospital where the injured are receiving treatment, would be released once confirmed.

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