Storm Overturns Canoe, Drowns Two Boys Headed to Church
What began as a sacred journey to church ended in heartbreak when two teenage boys from Bhasera, Gutu drowned in Ruti Dam after a makeshift canoe capsized during a violent storm.
The victims, Trysome Chenjerai (14) of Village Gava and Tadiwanashe Songo (15) of Village Mutadzaniso, were heading to a Johane Masowe Church service in Buhera, Manicaland Province when disaster struck mid-crossing.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said the group of five boys had reached Ruti Dam during their journey and decided to cross using a homemade wooden canoe.
As they paddled across, the weather suddenly turned.
A violent storm swept in, and the canoe capsized halfway through the dam, throwing all five boys into the water.
Three managed to swim to safety and alerted church members, while Chenjerai and Songo were dragged under and drowned.
The following morning, a search team recovered a body roughly 200 metres from the scene.
Believing it to be Chenjerai, the family proceeded with burial.
However, the ZRP Sub-Aqua Unit returned the next day and retrieved another body from the dam — later confirmed to be Chenjerai’s — revealing that Songo had been mistakenly buried under his name.
Midweek Watch reported that an exhumation application was filed on 29 September to correct the burial mix-up.
With help from the local community, Songo’s remains were exhumed, properly identified, and reburied in a solemn ceremony attended by Chief Mazuru and officials from various government departments.
The tragedy has shaken the Bhasera community and sparked urgent calls for safer water transport and stronger disaster response protocols.
Local leaders are urging authorities to raise awareness around water safety and provide support to grieving families through counselling and resources.
