Girl (6) Dies After Uncle's Beatings Over Name-Writing
A 28-year-old Zvishavane man, Takudzwa Wellington Chimuka, has been arrested following the death of his 6-year-old niece, Praise Tsomeka. The child was reportedly beaten with mopane switches and a rubber sjambok for failing to write her name correctly. This incident has reignited the national debate regarding the abolition of corporal punishment and the enforcement of child protection laws in rural Zimbabwe.
Delicious Mathuthu 
Zimbabwe, Zvishavane - A six-year-old Zimbabwean girl died after being repeatedly beaten by her uncle with tree switches and a rubber sjambok during attempts to teach her to write her name, police said on Thursday.
The girl, identified as Praise Tsomeka, was in the custody of her uncle, Takudzwa Wellington Chimuka, 28, of Kusvoro village under Chief Masunda in Zvishavane, about 300km south of the capital Harare.
Police arrested Chimuka following preliminary investigations into the child's death, Midlands Police Spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said the incident began on the 18th of this month.
"It is alleged that on 18 January 2026 at about 1700 hours, the suspect... returned from work and started to teach the now deceased... to write her name," Mahoko said.
"During the process, he was beating her repeatedly using mopane switches if she failed to write her name correctly.
The beatings continued the next day, Mahoko added, noting that when the switches broke, Chimuka used a rubber sjambok , a heavy leather whip commonly used in southern Africa.
On January 21, Tsomeka began showing signs of weakness and severe pain.
Chimuka and his wife took her first to a prophet for prayers, then to Zvishavane District Hospital, where she died upon admission.
Inspector Mahoko called for community members to always act humanly when dealing with children.
"We take this opportunity to reiterate the call for parents and guardians of children to always treat them in a humane manner," Mahoko said, adding that "It is not all perceived wrongs that are corrected by chastisement."
Child abuse remains a significant issue in Zimbabwe, where corporal punishment is still widely practiced in homes and schools despite calls from rights groups for its abolition.
The government has laws protecting children, but enforcement in rural areas can be inconsistent, rights groups say.
