Tinotenda Hove – Zimbabwean journalist Itai Mushekwe, originally from Rusape, was discovered dead earlier this year at his home in Cologne, Germany. He was 42.

Reports indicate that Mushekwe lived alone, unmarried, and with no close family nearby. His burial took place quietly on 20 August, with no relatives or colleagues in attendance. The pastor who conducted the service later revealed that he only learned about Mushekwe’s background as a journalist through an online search.

Mushekwe began his journalism career in Harare before relocating to Germany, where he founded the online publication Spotlight Zimbabwe. News of his passing surfaced months later, leaving former colleagues and friends shocked and saddened by the circumstances.

Many expressed grief that Mushekwe’s final moments—and even his burial—happened in solitude, far from the people who knew and worked with him best.