By Chiedza Nyabadza
The Dzivarasekwa community is in shock following a grim domestic incident that claimed the lives of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Commissioner and Midlands State University (MSU) lecturer Commissioner Dr Eng. Martin Muduva and his wife, nurse Lyliosa Chirara.
Commissioner Dr Eng. Martin Muduva and his wife, nurse Lyliosa Chirara, have died following a violent domestic dispute at their home in Dzivarasekwa Extension, Harare.
The incident occurred at around 12.20am on Wednesday, September 9, with preliminary reports indicating that the couple had an argument while in their bedroom.
Muduva, a former Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) member, reportedly sustained severe head injuries during the altercation and was rushed to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in a critical condition. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Chirara, 43, also died after reportedly ingesting rat poison shortly after the incident.
Preliminary accounts indicate that the dispute was linked to Muduva’s relationship with another woman, Patience Mangwiro, who is reportedly the Acting Director of Enterprise at MSU.
Muduva and Mangwiro are said to have been in a relationship for about five years and had a child together. Muduva reportedly paid lobola for Mangwiro during a traditional ceremony at the weekend.
Sources said Muduva had posted a photograph from the ceremony on his WhatsApp status before deleting it, but Chirara had already seen the post.
The argument reportedly escalated, with Chirara allegedly attacking her husband with an axe before taking rat poison herself.
Their daughter, Faith, reportedly discovered her father seriously injured and lying in a pool of blood on the bed.
She also found her mother writing in a book before she collapsed.
A sachet believed to have contained rat poison was reportedly found at the scene.
Faith alerted relatives and neighbours, who assisted in taking the couple for medical attention, but both later died.
The deaths have sent shockwaves through the ZHRC and MSU, with colleagues mourning Muduva as a dedicated public servant, academic and human rights advocate.
In a condolence message issued on Wednesday, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission said it had learnt with profound shock and deep sorrow of the untimely deaths of Commissioner Muduva and his wife.
Muduva was appointed as a ZHRC Commissioner on 19 December 2024 and, according to the Commission, made significant contributions to its work and mandate.
The ZHRC particularly highlighted his work in linking human rights and technology, as well as his commitment to public service and the promotion and protection of human rights and administrative justice.
“The death of Commissioner Muduva is a devastating loss to the Commission and to all those who had the privilege of working with him,” the Commission said.
The ZHRC said the simultaneous death of his wife had made the tragedy even more devastating, extending its condolences to the couple’s children, families, relatives, friends and loved ones.
“As the ZHRC family, we mourn together and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. We pray that they will find strength and comfort during this difficult time,” the Commission said.
The incident has renewed concerns over the need for early intervention in households experiencing persistent conflict, particularly where disputes show signs of escalating into violence.
Police are continuing investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
For the Muduva and Chirara families, the events of Wednesday morning have resulted in a devastating double tragedy.
