Hailstorms, a helicopter and the iron fist of control
Dear Family and Friends,
On Sunday the 27th of September a weather warning was put out by the Met Department. Storms were coming they said. Heavy downpours, lightning, thunder and strong winds were to be expected between the 29th September and 1st October. That was an understatement.
My home area of Marondera went into a state of complete whiteout as it always does. It’s notorious in this area: thick mist, slanting drizzle and the temperatures plunged from 30 to 13 degrees in the day and dropped to 8 degrees at night. The blankets came back out of the cupboard, shorts and T shirts were put away and we wrapped up in thick clothes and woolly hats and avoided driving due to the thick mist. It was all very unusual for this time of year, the eve of October, which is known as suicide month because it is so hot.
On the last day of September, with thick mist and low cloud, the helicopter containing controversial, money-flaunting, politically -onnected tenderpreneur, billionaire Wicknell Chivayo, his wife and three others crashed at 5.00pm west of Marondera. The fatal crash was just two farms down the road from my seized farm. The whispers, rumors and conspiracy theories swirled thicker than the mist.
But the real storms hadn’t even started yet. A fierce wind got up and very quickly pods, leaves, sticks and debris were flying everywhere. Trees were bent over, vivid streaks of lightning crackled and then the rain came down. No gentle introduction to the early start of the rainy season, just pounding, torrential rain and hail stones.
Masvingo took the early brunt of the sweeping storm on Monday 5th October with strong winds, heavy rain and a very destructive hailstorm. 17,000 homes were affected. 8,500 had their roofs blown off completely and 90% of affected homes had their windows broken, solar panels destroyed and belongings strewn in the flood water. Vehicle windscreens were broken, streets flooded and verges lined with thick hail. Factories, warehouses and retail outlets had broken roofs, water damage and stock losses. Major institutions were damaged including the University campus, Polytechnic, Teachers College, Passport Office, Grain Marketing Board, Veterinary Office and Clinics.
President Mnangagwa declared a State of Disaster in affected areas of the province. The Minister of Local Government and public works Daniel Garwe said “While the State is deploying all available resources, we make an urgent appeal to the private sector and partners to join hands with the Government.” But wait, while he appealed for help and as thousands of families tried to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives, a very different message was coming from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government. Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti warned NGOs and private people against distributing help. All relief aid must go through government channels only, he said. The iron fist of control ever present.
While that shocking news was being digested, a Presidential Ball was being held in Harare by Zanu PF to raise funds, not for hailstorm victims, but for the impending Zanu PF Conference in Chinhoyi. US$9.5 million was raised for the conference that evening. Next the police put out a notice that during the entire period of the Zanu PF Congress haulage trucks were ordered to take an 87km detour around Chinhoyi in order to “facilitate the smooth flow of traffic and minimize disruptions during the Zanu PF Conference.”
As the hail melted on one side of the country and the mist lifted on the other, I measured 70 mls of rain in my rain gauge after a week of mayhem. I gave a friend a couple of roof sheets to replace his that had blown off in the storm and our life went back to abnormal Zimbabwe as the sun came out again. The next morning ordinary people were out early everywhere, carrying cut-off plastic bottles or plastic bags. Bent over, they were collecting flying ants on roadside verges, under trees and near anthills. This is the real Zimbabwe.
I close this letter with a personal message of thanks, to you, the long-standing readers of my writings from Zimbabwe. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to my new book, the orders are pouring in and your comments are so wonderful, thank you. “A Hammock Under The Zimbabwean Sky” was written with love and laughter and it seems to be being read with the same feelings: stories from a time of innocence that we all remember so well. Thank you for not giving up on me and this beleaguered country.
You can order your copy here: https://cathybuckle.co.zw/books/
There is no charge for this Letter From Zimbabwe but all donations are so appreciated and can be made from my website.
Until next time, thanks for reading this Letter From Zimbabwe now in its 26th year, and my books about life in Zimbabwe, a country in waiting.
Ndini shamwari yenyu (I am your friend)
Love Cathy 16th October 2026.
Copyright © Cathy Buckle https://cathybuckle.co.zw/
My new book “A Hammock Under The Zimbabwean Sky,” my 2026 “Zimbabwe’s Timeless Beauty” Photobook and my “Beautiful Zimbabwe 2027” Calendar are all available from https://cathybuckle.co.zw/ or https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/cathybuckle2018