29 March 2022

MOSES MADYIRA CHIKOMBA – Isaac Chamunorwa (15), a Form 1 pupil at Liebenberg High in Chivhu died at Chivhu General Hospital on Sunday morning allegedly after being clapped by his teacher during sports activities. Chikomba District Schools Inspector Emmannuel Kwenda said he had received a report from the school head, Tinashe Sangu and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education had started investigations. The matter has been reported at Chivhu Police Station and the body is at Chivhu General Hospital mortuary waiting for post mortem. Canning or beating children at school in Zimbabwe is banned by the law. The deceased’s mother Chamunorwa said that her son was given a double clap; clapping the child at once using both hands on either cheek. She said that her son got a sharp pain from the clap and arrived home with tears flowing uncontrollably from his eyes. He spent the weekend in great pain and could not look at the light. On Monday he got a pass from school to go back home and that was the last time he went to school. On Wednesday he suffered a splitting headache and could neither stand or walk and was taken to hospital. Asked for a comment Willard Mupfururirwa, the teacher who is also the head of department for sports insisted that he never saw or assaulted Chamunorwa although there are reports that he beat the deceased together with two other boys. He said he now waits for the Police to make their investigations. Kwenda said the ministry was investigating the case. “The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is investigating the matter,” said Kwenda. Mash East Police Spokesperson Simon Chazovachii said he was yet to receive the case. Coincidentally, the two families are neighbours, separated by only one house between them though Mupfururirwa argued that he was not privy to the family prior to the incident. They have been neighbours since at least 2018. All three boys allegedly had side effects to the double claps they received from their teacher. Chamunorwa said all teachers at the school except Mupfururirwa visited her at home following the death of the child. “I am heartbroken by the untimely passing on of my son. When we took him to the hospital they examined him for common diseases and found nothing. “We have made a Police report and we are waiting for a post-mortem,” said Chamunorwa “I returned from work on March 7, 2022 and since then, I don’t remember beating any pupil at school. “The alleged pupil was not my student, you can even check in my PE class registers, he isn’t there. “I visited the family on Friday but they were not there. I could not visit the family later because of the emerging issue. I am now just waiting for the law agents to do their work,” said Mupfururirwa.

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