Bulawayo Teenager Kills Himself To Avoid Kuenda Kumusha Kunorima
A 16-year-old boy is believed to have taken his own life after becoming upset with his grandmother’s instruction to go to their rural home and plough the fields.
The boy, whose name has not been released, is thought to have swallowed a poisonous substance.
Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Bulawayo Province, said the teenager, who lived in Mabutweni suburb, was found unresponsive in his bedroom on 21 November.
Police were told that his 71-year-old grandmother had arrived from South Africa on 20 November.
During dinner, she told him and his 18-year-old brother that they would be going with her to the family’s rural home in Mbembesi to prepare fields for planting.
The teenager reportedly objected to the plan before the family went to bed.
Inspector Msebele said that at around 6 a.m. the following morning, the boy’s 16-year-old female cousin entered his room to clean.
She found him awake but still in bed, and he told her he needed more time to rest. When she returned at 8 a.m., he was unresponsive. Said Msebele:
“The cousin alerted the grandmother, who noticed that the boy was no longer showing signs of life.
“Traces of vomit stained with blood were found near him, raising suspicion that he may have ingested a poisonous substance.”
Police sent the body to Mpilo Central Hospital for a post-mortem as their investigation into the incident continues.
Inspector Msebele urged young people experiencing emotional distress or family pressure to seek guidance and support, rather than resorting to self-harm.
