196 Views The remains of a Zimbabwean mother and her two young daughters who were allegedly killed in the United Kingdom last month arrived in Harare on Monday morning. Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters were found dead on July 3 in the UK. Police there believe they were murdered by the children’s father. […]

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The remains of a Zimbabwean mother and her two young daughters who were allegedly killed in the United Kingdom last month arrived in Harare on Monday morning.

Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters were found dead on July 3 in the UK. Police there believe they were murdered by the children’s father.

After weeks of paperwork and coordination between authorities in the UK and Zimbabwe, the three bodies were repatriated and landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

From Harare, funeral arrangements are now underway to take them to the family’s home in Gwabalanda, Bulawayo, where they will be buried on Tuesday.

Family members who gathered at the airport were visibly distraught.

Many had traveled from Bulawayo overnight to receive the coffins. Church leaders and community elders were also present to offer support.

The case has shocked both Zimbabwean communities at home and in the diaspora.

Nothabo Zandile Tshuma was described by relatives as a devoted mother who had moved to the UK with her husband and children in search of a better life.

Neighbors in the UK said the family kept to themselves, and there had been no public signs of trouble before the incident on July 3.

According to reports from British police, the children’s father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, is the main suspect.

Authorities allege that after the killings he left the UK and traveled to South Africa.

He was later arrested there and remains in police custody as extradition processes are discussed between South African and UK officials.

The Zimbabwean Embassy in London worked with the Tshuma extended family to secure death certificates, post-mortem reports, and travel documents needed to bring the bodies home.

The process was delayed by legal requirements in the UK, but was expedited once the family made an urgent appeal for the remains to be returned for burial in Zimbabwe in line with cultural practice.

Speaking briefly at the airport, a family spokesperson said the priority now was to lay Nothabo and the two girls to rest with dignity in Bulawayo.

He asked for privacy during the mourning period and thanked the Zimbabwean government, the embassy in London, and members of the public who contributed toward repatriation costs.

“The pain is too much,” he said. “We just want to take our daughter and grandchildren home and give them a proper send-off.”

Plans are for the bodies to be transported by road to Bulawayo on Monday afternoon.

A memorial service is expected to be held in Gwabalanda on Monday evening, with burial set for Tuesday. Community members in Bulawayo have already started preparing the homestead and mobilizing food and other support for mourners expected to attend.

The case has also sparked conversations among Zimbabweans abroad about domestic violence, mental health, and support systems for families living far from home.

Diaspora groups in the UK said they had been offering counseling to relatives and friends affected by the news, and were working with local authorities to ensure the children are remembered with respect.

Police in the UK have not released further details while investigations continue.

They have confirmed that Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma was arrested in South Africa and that they are liaising with Interpol and South African authorities regarding next steps.

Back in Zimbabwe, the focus has shifted to the funeral. Elders in Gwabalanda said traditional rites would be observed, and that the community would rally around the Tshuma family during the burial.

For many, the arrival of the bodies in Harare marked the end of a painful wait. But it also marked the beginning of a difficult week for a family trying to process loss across two countries.

As preparations continue in Bulawayo, friends and relatives have been sharing memories of Nothabo and her daughters on social media, describing them as warm, quiet, and full of life.

The tragedy has left a deep mark. And as the family prepares to bury their own on Tuesday, calls have grown for more support for Zimbabweans in the diaspora who often face personal and legal crises far from home, with limited resources to cope.

The nation now watches as the Tshuma family lays a mother and her two daughters to rest, all of them taken too soon, and all of them finally coming home.