Some thieves in Chitungwiza showed how merciless they are when they robbed Bumhudzo Old Peoples home in Chitungwiza of 75 chickens that were being reared there.

One of the care givers who works there told The Zimbabwe Gazette that on Tuesday night these thieves came and made away with the live birds. 

“They removed the panels of the security wall and entered into this yard and made away with the birds,” said the caregiver.
She said that the security guard who was on duty on the day saw the thieves but could not do anything to them as he was scared.
“The chickens were part of the projects that we have here in order to have some extra revenue for the old people’s home and some people out there have the nerve to come and rob us of these birds,” she said.

How they got away with the birds she could not say but it is said they came with some carts and made away into the dark of the night with the chickens. The guard who was on duty that day was not at the premises when we got there as we wanted to have his side of what transpired. Bumhudzo is owned and mostly sponsored by the Salvation Army and is situated on the outskirts of St Mary’s a notorious neighbourhood in Chitungwiza. Many dwellers of the high density suburb are unemployed and are much into robbing people at night or breaking into houses.

Well wishers visit Bumhudzo old people home to give the old clothes and other things. Some dedicate their labour and help in any work that needs to be done at the compound while some come to pray and have time to talk with the old people. The elderly here are from Chitungwiza and are either with no one to take care of them or have children who say they are not good at taking care of them. Most of them are of Malawian descent and being such they have not many relatives in Zimbabwe other than their immediate families. This therefore rendered them vulnerable to neglect when they get to that age of needing help in everything they do. This has been the role of Bumhudzo to make life easier and enjoyable for the elderly and it is one place that has maintained its standards of proper care for the elderly over the years even though t the economy has seen many places like it go down.

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