Harare- Tears welled in her eyes as the grieving mother from Ward 1 in Epworth gave a heartrending account of how her 24 year old son was murdered.

“Imagine losing a son whom you had raised and was hoping that he is now a grown man capable of starting his own family or even taking care of me. But he was murdered around 8pm,” she said in a whisper. 

She said her son was murdered in a violent mugging which not only shocked the community but reignited fears over the suburb’s worsening crime crisis which is flourishing under the cover of darkness.

The woman said it pains her heart to imagine how her son met his death because even if he cried for help, the attackers must have vanished into the darkness as there are no street lights in the area.  

Watch the video below of a woman whose son was murdered in the neighbourhood:

(Video uploading)

Residents say the lack of streetlights in the area has turned their neighborhood into a hunting ground for criminals. 

“This can be prevented if there was proper street lighting,” said another Epworth resident identified as Linda Moyo.  

 “Criminals are attacking  residents knowing no one will see them, and they always get away.”

Residents of Epworth North are living in fear as violent muggings and murders escalate under the shroud of night, with stalled efforts to install floodlights leaving the community vulnerable.

Epworth Police confirmed a sharp rise in crime and night muggings which has seen the community living in fear.

Speaking at a community feedback meeting held recently in the constituency, residents made an urgent plea to Epworth North legislator Zivai Mhetu to intervene and assist in the installation of street lighting.

Mhetu, who has been pushing for urgent interventions, working tirelessly to address the security crisis in his constituency is lobbying major telecom providers, Econet, Netone and Telecel to install floodlights on their boosters.

Since 2023, Mhetu’s efforts have however yielded no results. He revealed that despite engaging company executives, progress has been frustratingly slow.

NetOne CEO Raphael Mushanawani deployed engineers for site assessments, but no further updates have been provided

Telecel acknowledged Epworth’s high subscriber base in Harare but cited financial constraints as a barrier to assisting.

Econet’s CEO, Roy Chimanikire, on the other hand also confirmed receipt of the appeal but is yet to issue a definitive response.

In his letters to the telecom firms, Mhetu emphasized the urgency of the situation.

He said:

“Floodlights are badly needed by the people of Epworth because there are increased cases of muggings and murders. I strongly believe your organisation is best placed to assist us.”

With the companies remaining silent, frustration is growing among residents, who say the lack of lighting emboldens criminals.

Many report feeling unsafe even in their own neighborhoods, as gangs strike with little fear of being seen or caught.

Despite the delays, Mhetu remains determined adding that: ” Our people deserve to feel safe and i will not stop until we see the results.”