Respect for the deceased is a hallmark of Zimbabwean tradition, with past misdeeds often overlooked after death. However, the people of Beitbridge have defied this norm, welcoming the end of a notorious criminal known as MaWidzo as a reprieve from his terror.
Ignoring the Shona proverb “wafawanaka,” which advocates forgiving the deceased’s faults, MaWidzo’s death did not elicit the usual remembrances. Instead, he met his end alone at Masvingo General Hospital, with no vigil and his body remaining unclaimed at the morgue.
According to a report by Newsday Zimbabwe, the announcement of MaWidzo’s passing sparked celebration, not sorrow. His legacy of brutal crimes, including rapes and robberies, cast him as a pariah on social media forums in Beitbridge, where residents openly expressed their disdain.
Despite his slight stature, MaWidzo was a notorious figure between Musina and Beitbridge, his reputation as a violent criminal overshadowing his physical presence. Notorious for pickpocketing at Beitbridge Border Post, he had been exploiting vulnerabilities there with his gang since the 1990s. Even imprisonment for assaulting his girlfriend did not deter his criminal conduct.
Originally from Masvingo, MaWidzo moved to Beitbridge, where he joined a gang of thieves preying on travelers. His criminal activities extended to Musina, but after a rape incident, the community turned against him. As a fugitive, he retreated to Beitbridge, only to become ill and be ostracized by his relatives.
The once-feared criminal was buried in a mission cemetery, far from his family home, to prevent the spirits of those he wronged from following him.
His story echoed a 2019 incident at Beitbridge Border Post, where drivers outraged by the crimes of another gang leader, Knowledge Mukachana, caused a disturbance that necessitated riot police intervention.
MaWidzo’s legacy, starkly at odds with Zimbabwean burial customs, highlighted a community’s collective yearning for justice and peace from the havoc he wreaked.
