A dead donkey was found at the gate of a house in Block 81 in Mpopoma suburb in Bulawayo on Sunday morning, leaving residents speculating about what may have led to the death of the animal.
A resident who only identified himself to Chronicle as Mbono said the donkey may have died to due mistreatment by firewood peddlers who move around the suburb selling firewood. He said:
I suspect this donkey was yoked on a scotch cart and suddenly died. Realising what had happened, those on the cart could have decided to dump it on the roadside, near the gate of this house.
Mbono drew the Chronicle news crew’s attention to what seemed like drag marks on the road near the place where the donkey was dumped.
Another resident who chose not to be identified for the report said the donkey might have died from being hit with a blunt object. Said the resident:
This donkey was killed by someone who had struck it with a blunt object and decided to dump it here.
However, some residents dismissed the cruelty theory and suggested that the death of the donkey might be a case of witchcraft gone wrong. Said a resident:
It’s mind-boggling to wake up to a dead donkey at the gate. Someone must have been practising witchcraft and things went south.
Meanwhile, police officers who arrived at the scene examined the donkey’s carcass and concluded that it looked healthy and had no signs of physical abuse.
The City of Bulawayo was notified about the development and residents were waiting for the local authority to remove the carcass.