GURUVE, the land of milk, honey and dust,in Mashonaland Central province, recently became a nightmare to villagers who had been used to a simple and modest life.
Even elders with cotton tuft hair were left scratching their heads seeking for answers on what was happening.
Answers were elusive to the extent that the government had to intervene, sending armed forces and a helicopter to help villagers navigate such a terrible time.
Tears, sweat and blood flowed in the land where traditions are still valued.
This was all because of murder accused Anymore Zvitsva, who was causing untold suffering to his kith and kiln as he went on a murdering spree.
Add to it again, the death of John Chimana Chaora (54) of Kazunga village.
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A man who was killed by his ownfamily members — Kelvin Katuruza Chaora (26), a male juvenile (16), Chemika Gwenzi (33), BvumbeMandeya (35) and Ranwes Chaora (58) — with stories suggesting it could have been to foil his ascension to chieftainship.
Jealous family members conspired to end his life.
What really had gotten into Guruve people?
Some people might have failed to travel to their beloved Guruve for the festive holidays fearing for their lives, or at worst witnessing more deaths as the murderer was not yet apprehended.
But the fear was ended three days in the new year when Zvitsva was subdued and apprehended in a joint operation by the armed forces and the community.
To make the apprehension easy, one of the soldiers had to shoot Zvitsva on the left leg and a helicopter was used to airlift him for medical attention.
It was the use of the helicopter that captured NewsDay Weekender as people from the land of milk, honey and dust were taken by surprise.
They never imagined they would see it in their lifetime.
Many used to see it flying and could not make head or tail, but this time, it landed on their soil.
The lucky ones have seen it at the Harare Agricultural Show, while those attending Madzibaba Owen Velvet’s church whispered”“Takambochiona chikopokopo (we have seen it before).”
Many had imaginations of how it looks like and its sound, as imitated by sungura musician Alick Macheso with his guitar on the song Chikopokopo, while Jonas Kasamba chants “Chikopokopo”.
“Takutotangirwa kukwirachikopokopo nemhondi (The murderer is getting into the helicopter before us),” said an elderly Guruve man as they witnessed Zvitsva being airlifted to Harare.
“I last saw a helicopter in the 1970s. The Rhodesian Forces once flew and landed in our area to intimidate villagers who were helping the freedom fighters,” the elderly man recalled.
“Now our chidren have seen a helicopter all because of a murderer.
“I couldn’t believe the copter had come to collect Zvitsva. I came to see it with my own eyes. The noise and the whirling rotor blades. It blew a lot of dust as it flew off,” said Blessed, another villager, as he narrated how the copter took off.
It became more of a spectacle than a period of mourning.
Even according to his own admission, during interrogation at his hospital bed, Zvitsva said he had beaten his father’s record by being flown in a chopper from Guruve, it becoming a first in the village if not the whole district.