Tendai Muererwa
Mutare – A seven year old girl from Magohlo Village under Chief Zimunya in Mutare drowned after she slipped and fell into a deep well while fetching water near her family homestead.
The deceased, Tadiwanashe Kufakunesu (7), died on July 24 at Kufakunesu homestead. According to the girl’s mother, Judemary Makondo (27), Tadiwanashe had been sent to fetch water from a deep well located about 30 metres from their home.
Makondo told police that her daughter had gone to the well carrying a 5-litre blue bucket. However, she became suspicious when Tadiwanashe took longer than expected to return home.
She then went to check on her daughter and upon reaching the well, she found the child’s slippers and the blue 5-litre bucket floating near the edge of the well, raising fears that she had fallen in.
Makondo entered the well and retrieved her daughter’s body before attempting to administer first aid, but her efforts were unsuccessful.
She then alerted her husband, Oncemore Kufakunesu (31), who had remained inside the house. The father ferried the body back to their homestead before the matter was reported to ZRP Mutare Rural through a telephone call.
Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, the Manicaland province acting police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to exercise caution around open wells and other unsafe water sources.
“Parents and guardians are urged to always monitor children, especially when they are sent to fetch water or play near water sources. Communities should ensure that wells are properly secured to prevent such unfortunate incidents,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Police attended the scene and inspected the body, with no visible injuries being observed. The body was later taken to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
