THREE KILLED AFTER FALLING INTO UNPROTECTED COUNCIL TRENCH IN HARARE’S BUDIRIRO SUBURB

By Shelton Muchena
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – 9 JUNE 2026

Three people have lost their lives after falling into an open, unmarked trench dug by Harare City Council workers, in a tragedy that has become a focal point for growing public anger over official neglect and the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, commonly referred to as CAB3.

Eyewitness accounts and multiple local reports confirm the victims were walking home from a nearby barbershop shortly after 7pm when the accident occurred. They are named locally as an elderly man in his late seventies, a young woman aged eighteen or nineteen, and a young man in his early twenties. Travelling along an unlit stretch of road, they did not see the deep excavation hidden in the gathering dusk. By the time neighbours heard their cries and rushed to the scene, it was too late to save them.

The trench had been excavated several weeks earlier as part of planned drainage works. It was left completely exposed. There were no metal barriers, no warning signs, no reflective tape, and no lighting to alert pedestrians to the danger. Residents say they raised concerns repeatedly with council supervisors while work was ongoing, but were told staff would return later to secure the site. They never did.

“This was not an accident. It was a death trap created by indifference,” said Farai Makoni, a long-serving community leader in the suburb. “We told them over and over that this route is used every day by children, elderly people, and workers coming home after dark. To dig such a deep hole in a public space and abandon it sends a clear message: our lives do not matter enough to protect.”

Accounts circulating among residents and across local media suggest there may be a troubled history attached to the location. Some recall that years ago, groups locally referred to as mapositori were driven out of the area after being accused of violence and intimidation against residents. Rumour has persisted that some of those individuals later gained influence close to ruling party circles, leading to claims the trench may have been left open deliberately as an act of retaliation. These allegations remain unsubstantiated however and require full independent investigation to be confirmed or dismissed.

What is beyond dispute is the stark double standard in official action that residents say defines life across much of Harare. Just months before this tragedy, council teams supported by police moved swiftly into Budiriro and neighbouring areas to demolish hundreds of residential structures. These were simple homes built over many years by ordinary families using savings earned through formal employment, informal trade, or work abroad. Many families said they had invested everything they owned to put a roof over their heads. Demolitions began even before Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 had completed its passage through parliament.

CAB3, if enacted into law, will extend the term of office for the President, members of parliament, and local councillors by a further two years. Supporters of the bill argue that longer terms allow leaders sufficient time to deliver long-term development projects and economic stability. Critics however view it as a deliberate move to entrench political power at a time when basic public services across Zimbabwe are in sharp decline.

Analysts both inside the country and internationally have drawn a direct link between incidents like the Budiriro tragedy and the wider concerns surrounding CAB3. “It is striking how quickly authorities can mobilise heavy machinery, transport, and security personnel to demolish homes or advance legislation, yet cannot find the time or resources to put up basic fencing around a lethal hazard in a residential area,” said Dr Rudo Nyoni, an independent political researcher based in Harare. “This is not just about one trench. It reflects a system that acts decisively when it serves those in charge, but neglects the safety and dignity of ordinary citizens. If CAB3 passes, many fear it will only extend the tenure of leaders who have repeatedly failed to deliver the basic services people rely on.”

Across Zimbabwe, reaction to the deaths has blended profound grief with rising frustration. Citizens are asking why a bill to extend political terms is being rushed through parliament while life-threatening risks are ignored for weeks. They question why homes built through years of hard work and sacrifice can be destroyed so rapidly, while a simple safety measure is considered too much trouble.

For the families mourning their loved ones, political debate may feel secondary to their loss. But the tragedy in Budiriro has become a rallying point. It has focused national attention not only on the immediate failure of the city council, but on wider questions of accountability, governance, and the implications of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3. There are growing calls for a full independent inquiry into the deaths, and for lawmakers to reconsider the proposed changes in light of what critics describe as a pattern of neglect and misplaced priorities.