“Lonesome” Village Head, 69, Found Dead In Suspected Suicide

A village head in Rusape, Manicaland, who lived alone, is suspected to have taken his own life after his body was found with an empty bottle nearby.

Lukas Mudewaire, 69, of Mudewaire village, was found dead by his brother, who had gone to check on him on Tuesday.

Acting Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident to The Manica Post, saying officers attended the scene after receiving a report from the deceased’s 76-year-old brother.

“On August 4, he visited his brother and discovered that the bedroom door was open. He knocked on the door, and no one answered,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.

“Concerned, the brother entered the house and found Mudewaire lying on the floor with no signs of life. A suspected smell of poison was also detected in the room.

“Police attended the scene and inspected the body and found no visible injuries. An empty 500ml container was found in the room.”

The body was conveyed to Rusape General Hospital for post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death as part of police investigations.

Following this tragedy, families, neighbours and village structures need to carry out regular welfare checks on elderly people and those living alone – particularly traditional leaders who may be reluctant to show vulnerability.

There is still stigma around mental distress in many communities, so it is vital to create safe spaces where people can talk openly about stress, loneliness, illness or financial pressures without shame, and to take any mention of hopelessness seriously.

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