HARARE – The discovery of an alleged suicide note belonging to nurse Lyliosa Chirara has widened a bitter rift between her family and that of her late husband, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Commissioner Martin Muduva, as police continue to investigate the couple’s deaths in Dzivarasekwa Extension.

Chirara, 43, is alleged to have attacked Muduva, 42, with an axe at their matrimonial home following a marital dispute before taking her own life shortly afterwards. The tragedy has gripped the Harare suburb and raised difficult questions about domestic violence, mental distress and the pressures that can build inside a marriage.

Note discovered during burial preparations

According to accounts given to local media, the note was found while Chirara’s personal belongings were being sorted for burial in Njanja. Under custom, her clothing and other effects were to be placed in her grave.

A group of women reportedly came across the note tucked among her clothes alongside other papers. They are said to have read it before mourners gathered at the Dzivarasekwa Extension home.

Nancy Tembo, described as a close friend of Chirara, said the Chirara family read the note after the Muduva family indicated it did not want it read. The disagreement, she said, caused further friction between the two families, with some relatives leaving the house in anger. Tembo added that no members of the Muduva family attended Chirara’s burial.

What the note reportedly claims

The contents of the note, as reported, paint a picture of a woman who believed she had endured years of emotional neglect and humiliation. Among the claims attributed to the letter are:

• That Chirara felt tormented and had suffered for a long time, even though others believed she had peace of mind.
• That the couple had not shared a bedroom or been intimate between 2022 and 2025, with Chirara alleging her husband regarded her as uneducated compared with his academic achievements.
• That Muduva allegedly kept his earnings from her, told her she had no right to know how much he earned and discouraged her from starting a small poultry business.
• That he allegedly spent about a year living with another woman before returning to say he had found a partner better suited to his status.
• That Chirara said she learnt of an alleged secret marriage to another woman, named in the note as Patience Mangwiro, only after seeing a social media post about a bride price ceremony.

Chirara reportedly wrote that when she married Muduva she had vowed “till death do us part” and that she had meant the promise literally. She is said to have asked her relatives for forgiveness, describing the letter as written with tears, and to have told her children that they knew nothing about what had happened. She also expressed regret that she would not see them grow up.

The note further addressed members of the Muduva family, telling them they could now take the woman she alleged her husband had secretly married, describing her as the “right daughter-in-law” because she was educated and could meet the family’s expectations. A family elder was also mentioned, with Chirara accusing him of encouraging Muduva to seek a more educated wife and of failing to intervene in her marital problems.

Police yet to see the note

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations into the murder and sudden death were still underway. He said the Zimbabwe Republic Police had not yet seen the suicide note that has been reported in the media.

The deaths have left the Dzivarasekwa Extension community shaken. A close relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the couple had at some point explored the possibility of divorce, suggesting that their union had been under severe strain before the fatal incident.

Legal and social questions

The case has also highlighted the sensitive nature of handling suicide notes and family disputes during mourning. Traditionally, personal belongings are buried with the deceased, and the decision to read the note before mourners has become a source of deep grievance.

Legal experts note that while a suicide note may be relevant to an investigation, its authenticity and contents must be verified by police before it can be treated as evidence. The Muduva family has not publicly commented on the specific claims attributed to the letter.

As investigations continue, the tragedy has renewed calls for greater attention to domestic conflict, mental health support and the pressures faced by families navigating marital breakdown. Police have urged anyone with information to come forward as they piece together the events that led to the deaths of both Chirara and Muduva.