Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. AS the military hearse pulled away from the Jemwa family home in Highfield, Harare, the irony was impossible to ignore.
For over three decades, James Jemwa had chronicled Zimbabwe’s political landscape with a camera slung over his shoulder and a quiet defiance in his stride.
Now, his final journey was being ushered by the very institution whose vehicle had, in a tragic twist, allegedly caused his death.
On Friday September 19, 2025 at around 10pm, Jemwa was struck by a military vehicle—a fatal collision that police sources confirmed ended his life.
The army’s provision of the hearse was not a gesture of honour, but a reluctant acknowledgment of responsibility.
It was a stark contrast to the life Jemwa had lived: one marked by resistance, resilience and relentless pursuit of truth.
A career of courage
JemwaA’s name was synonymous with frontline journalism.
As a video journalist, he bore witness to Zimbabwe’s most turbulent chapters — elections, protests, crackdowns — often at great personal risk.
His footage, raw and unflinching, gave voice to stories that many preferred buried.
He was arrested multiple times. Forced to delete footage. Threatened.
At one point, his camera was seized by Zanu PF vigilantes and never returned.
Yet Jemwa never stopped filming.
His lens became a tool of accountability, his presence a quiet protest against censorship.
The final journey
On the night of Monday September 22, the army hearse carrying Jemwa’s body departed Harare under the cover of darkness, bound for Chigodora—his rural home east of Mutare.
The urgency of the journey, the silence of the convoy and the absence of official acknowledgment spoke volumes.
He was laid to rest the following day in a modest community cemetery, just 300 meters from his homestead.
No State honours. No grand speeches.
Very few friends from the media fraternity in direct contrast to his contribution to the trade.
Just the solemn presence of close family, members of the community and a few friends from Harare who knew the man behind the camera.
A legacy beyond the lens
Jemwa is survived by his wife and three children.
To them, he was more than a journalist—he was a father, a husband, a protector.
To his peers, he was a mentor.
To the nation, he was a witness.
Even in death, Jemwa remained defiant.
His burial, stripped of pomp, was a quiet act of dignity.
His story, however, refuses to be buried.
Rest in power
James Jemwa’s life was a testament to the power of bearing witness.
In a country where truth is often contested, he chose to document it.
And though his camera has been silenced, the images he captured—and the courage he embodied—live on.
Rest in power, Jemwa.
Your lens may be still, but your legacy remains in motion.
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