Mufakose gripped by fear as drug-fueled violence e...

Mufakose gripped by fear as drug-fueled violence escalates

Philemon Jambaya

Zim Now Editor

A wave of fear has swept across Mufakose following a series of violent incidents, with residents pointing to the devastating impact of drug and substance abuse as the root cause. The latest tragedy, the stoning death of 33-year-old Mike Sallimon, has further ignited concerns about the escalating crisis plaguing the community. This incident, occurring near the Lyton flyover on Thursday, comes barely a week after another Mufakose resident allegedly murdered his mother, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.

Sallimon, a commuter omnibus tout, was killed following an altercation with a close friend and fellow tout over their day's earnings. "Mike was a tout and the person who killed him was his closest friend. They actually stayed together," a neighbor said. The dispute, seemingly over a small sum of money, quickly turned violent. "They were supposed to get $4.50 each, but the friend wanted $5," explained Mrs. Sophia Sallimon, the deceased's mother. "He was agitated and started attacking my son with a brick leading to his death. I’m hurting inside, I haven’t yet come to terms over my son’s death.”

The community is reeling from the loss and the increasingly prevalent violence. "We are deeply saddened by our friend’s death. Every day, he passed through our workplace at the rank," a community member shared. "We are indeed concerned over rampant drug abuse in this area." Residents are now openly expressing their fear and frustration, demanding action from authorities to address the drug problem they see as the core of the issue.

"We appeal to responsible authorities to deal with the drug scourge in Mufakose because it’s being done in broad daylight," one resident pleaded. The community's concerns paint a grim picture of a neighborhood under siege. "Here in Mufakose, we are saying no to drug abuse. We are tired of drugs and some children are walking naked. The area is not safe, especially at night. People are losing their belongings as the drug victims run amok, snatching anything they can get hold of. The drug peddlers are known, but they threaten anyone who wants to expose them saying we will kidnap your children,” another resident revealed.

The residents of Mufakose are living in fear, trapped between the escalating violence and the open drug trade fueling it.