by Gideon Madzikatidze
KWEKWE – A tragic incident occurred in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, where a man only identified as Tichaona Muguti was attacked and killed by a crocodile while midway crossing the Mbembeswani River in the company of his friend.
In a statement, Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Midlands provincial spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the late Muguti was an employee of Kingten Mine and he was accompanied by a colleague, Trust Ngwenya (24).
“A man was attacked by a crocodile in Mbembeswani River, Mbizo in Kwekwe on 26 January 2026 at about 1800hours. The man was at the time identified as Tichaona Muguti (with no further particulars known) who was employed by Kingten Mine in Kwekwe,” Mahoko said.
“It was reported that he was accompanied by another man Trust Ngwenya aged 24 of Makaure Business Centre. As they were midway crossing Mbembeswani River, a crocodile emerged and attacked Tichaona Muguti who was in front and submerged him in the water,” Mahoko added.
“Other men who were nearby were informed but could not do anything. Tichaona Muguti was not seen again and it is suspected that he might been eaten by crocodiles,” Mahoko said.
Despite search efforts by the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and ZRP Sub-aqua Unit, Mahoko said Muguti’s body has not been recovered, leaving his fate uncertain.
“Searches were instituted by Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and ZRP Sub-aqua Unit and there are no positive results yet,” he said.
This incident highlights the growing concern of human-wildlife conflicts in Zimbabwe, particularly with crocodile attacks. Such incidents often occur when humans encroach on wildlife habitats or engage in activities near water bodies, increasing the risk of encounters with wild animals.