By Johannes Mike Mupisa
A fishing expedition turned tragic on Saturday afternoon when 49-year-old Almatia Macheza of Ward 3, Mwenezi, drowned at Musaverema Dam.
Macheza, along with his wife, had gone fishing in their tree bark boat in Musaverema Dam.
At around midday, they went fishing in the boat, and as he disembarked, he forgot to tie the bark boat, known as the gwande, to a log on the banks of the dam.
He realised that his bark boat was being swept by the wind back into the dam and tried to retrieve it. The efforts were futile as he disappeared into the murky Musaverema Dam, which is one of the largest dams in Mwenezi.
His wife could not do anything to save her husband besides rushing to the nearest Musaverema shops to seek help. Efforts to serve the man by everyone who gathered failed to yield any positive results. They searched in vain for the body until, on the third day, coordinated efforts by the councillor, Mr. Mabhena, and the local MP together with the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira led to the summoning of the ZRP sub-aqua unit.
When they arrived on Tuesday at around 9am they found Alamatia’s lifeless body floating.
‘Hakazi kekutanga zvichiitika izvi. Dhamu iri rapedza vanhu,’ a local leader Mai Simbisai Matchava commented.
Alamatia is survived by his two wives and 12 children. The burial is set for Musvoti Village on Wednesday.
Mwenezi North MP Makope, dispatched a team with food stuffs to assist the bereaved to feed mourners gathered. The Mwenezi North Constituency Coordinator, Norman Mkondo warned villagers to be careful when around water bodies to minimize such disasters.
