By 
By Ross Moyo
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has lost Dr. Engineer Martin Muduva (42), a Cyber Security expert, lecturer at Midlands State University, and ZHRC Commissioner, who died this Wednesday morning at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after succumbing to injuries sustained in an alleged domestic attack.
His wife, Lyliosa Chirara (43), died instantly on Tuesday night after allegedly drinking poison.
Police investigations are still in progress.
WHAT HAPPENED
According to sources close to the investigations, the incident occurred in Dzivarasekwa Extension on Tuesday night following a misunderstanding between the couple.
It is alleged the dispute stemmed from Dr Muduva having customarily married a second wife last week, a development that did not go down well with his wife.
Comm Muduva was reportedly axed twice, sustaining deep cuts to the head and right hand. He was rushed to Parirenyatwa where he died on Wednesday morning.
His wife reportedly took poison and died at the scene on Tuesday night. Both had been taken to hospital.
In a brief statement, police confirmed the matter is under investigation and a comprehensive statement will be issued later.
A LOSS TO TECH AND HUMAN RIGHTS
In a statement, the ZHRC said it received the news “with profound shock and deep sorrow.”
“The death of Commissioner Muduva is a devastating loss to the Commission and to all those who had the privilege of working with him. Commissioner Muduva was appointed as a Commissioner of the ZHRC on the 19th of December 2024. Since then, Commissioner Muduva has made remarkable contributions to the work and mandate of the ZHRC, particularly by bringing the linkages between human rights and technology,” the Commission said.
Appointed less than a year ago, Dr Muduva was among the few commissioners nationally with a direct background in cyber security and engineering.
In Commission meetings and public forums, he pushed for ZHRC to engage on digital rights: data protection, online surveillance, cyber-bullying, and the human rights implications of AI and digital ID systems.
His argument was simple: as Zimbabwe digitizes, rights violations will increasingly happen online, and the Commission must be equipped to respond.
“The Commission said Comm Muduva’s commitment to public service and the promotion and protection of human rights and administrative justice will be remembered with profound respect.”
BRIDGING TWO WORLDS
Colleagues describe Dr Muduva as a technocrat who believed technology should serve people, not control them.
He brought technical language into rights discussions and rights language into tech discussions — a rare combination in public institutions.
As a lecturer at Midlands State University, he mentored students in cyber security, ethical hacking and digital forensics, many of whom now work in government and the private sector.
Under his watch, ZHRC began internal conversations on how to investigate complaints related to social media shutdowns, data breaches, and digital discrimination. He also advocated for training commissioners and staff on cyber threats to human rights defenders.
His death comes at a time when Zimbabwe is rolling out more e-government services and debating laws on cyber security and data protection.
ZHRC MOURNS
“The loss of his wife at the same time makes this tragedy even more devastating. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with their children, families, relatives, friends and loved ones during this very difficult time.
“As the ZHRC family, we mourn together and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. We pray that they will find strength and comfort during this difficult time,” ZHRC said.
Tributes have also poured in from the tech community, with several cyber security professionals noting Dr Muduva’s efforts to put Zimbabwe on the map for ethical hacking, digital forensics, and rights-based tech policy.
INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE
Police said investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack and the subsequent death.
No arrests have been made. A post-mortem is expected to confirm the cause of death for both.
More to follow.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Contact your nearest police station. Support organizations include Childline, Musasa, and Varume Svinurai, which advocate for men’s welfare and protection.
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