Dodoma. The Mzangwa family of Chinangali II Village in Chamwino District here has recounted the horrifying moment their father was killed by his own son in front of family members, in a tragedy that has left the community in shock.
“Our father said, ‘Saimoni, if you say you are unwell, what is this hengo [a traditional machete-like tool] for at night? Put the hengo down and tell me properly what is troubling you, my son, even if it means asking us to take care of your children,” recounts the deceased son, Mr Ndolei Mzangwa
His 57-year-old son, Mr Saimoni Ndalu, killed the 81-year-old Ndalu Mzangwa in the early hours of Saturday, October 31, 2026, by striking him at the back of the neck with a traditional cutting tool locally known as a hengo.
After the attack, Saimoni fled as his children pursued him but escaped in the darkness.
He later went to the outskirts of the village, near a hill, where he hanged himself from a tree using a piece of cloth.
Recounting the incident, Ndolei said the deceased was attacked while seated with six family members.
“When the decision to carry the traditional cutting tool was questioned, his wife referred him to the who has lost his mind,’ said Mr Ndolei.
‘However, Mr Saimoni said he had not lost his mind, rather he carried the tool only because it was nighttime, adding that since they had a livestock enclosure, the weapon was need for self defence. Little did we know he had already identified his target,” he added.
Events leading up to the tragedy
Mr Ndolei said that before the incident, his late elder brother had been complaining of severe stomach pains.
Around the same time, his son, Samweli, was also unwell, prompting their elderly father to sell a cow and give Saimoni Sh1 million to seek medical treatment for himself and his child.
“My brother went to hospital with his son for medical tests, carrying enough money. When he returned, our father asked how much he had spent. He replied that he had used about Sh400,000 on tests and medication for both of them. Father advised him to keep the remaining money so that he could return to hospital whenever their condition persisted,” recounts Ndolei.
On the night of the incident, Mr Ndolei was sleeping in the same room as his father, who was experiencing abdominal discomfort.
They planned to pursue further medical tests the following morning.
However, at around 2 am, Emmy, Saimon’s wife who asked them to go and speak to her husband, awakened them.
She said her husband had been asking the family to look after his children because he believed he was nearing the end of his life.
According to Ndolei, before they could reach him, Mr Saimoni arrived and repeated his concerns, saying he was unwell, his body ached, and his life was ending.
He pleaded with them to take care of his children.
During the discussion, Mr Saimoni’s wife suggested that he appeared to have lost his mind, but their eldest son, Samweli, defended his father, insisting that he was mentally sound.
“While we were discussing this, I heard a heavy thud. When I turned around, I saw father had already collapsed, and my brother was running away. His children tried to pursue him, but because it was dark, they became afraid and instead rushed to help the old man, who unfortunately died at the scene,” added Mr Ndolei.
Mother recounts son’s history
Mr Ndalu’s wife and Saimoni’s biological mother, Ms Agnes Mboto, said she was still struggling to understand what had driven her son, whom she described as his father’s favourite, to commit the killing.
She said Mr Saimoni had been particularly close to his father since childhood and was trusted to manage family money whenever livestock was sold.
This was among the reasons he had built his house next to his parents’ home.
“The one who hanged himself was my son. He loved his father deeply. He never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes. I had never seen him involved in anything unusual until the day he hanged himself. He left behind seven children and two grandchildren, and we depended on and trusted him greatly,” said Ms Mboto.
However, she recalled that Mr Saimoni had experienced a brief episode of unusual behaviour during childhood, although the family did not consider it serious because it lasted only two days.
“I remember that when he was about 10 years old, he came to me crying, saying that many sheep were following him and that he did not want them. Whenever I looked, I could see nothing. He complained of a severe headache, so we gave him ordinary medication, and he recovered. That was when [Julius] Nyerere was fighting Idi Amin [the Kagera War of 1978-1979],” she said.
Ms Mboto, who witnessed her husband being struck, said the family had been questioning Mr Saimoni about his remarks concerning his children and why he was making such statements in the middle of the night.
She said both her husband and Mr Saimoni’s wife had been asking him questions when the attack occurred.
“He stood up as if he was stretching, and without any warning, I heard a heavy thud. Since we were sitting down, my husband fell onto my back. Suddenly, we saw Saimoni running away. I am not sure whether they pursued him at that moment, but in the morning, I heard that he too had been found hanged,” she said.
District Commissioner calls for dialogue
Chamwino District Commissioner Janeth Mayanja said the incident had left the community deeply shocked, particularly because of the family’s account of Mr Saimoni’s previously peaceful conduct.
She said the motive had not yet been established.
“It is true that this incident occurred, and tomorrow they will be buried in that village. The precise reason has not yet been established, but we indeed have this tragedy on our hands. It is deeply painful that children would choose to take the law into their own hands by killing their fathers. These are extraordinary and troubling circumstances, especially considering that he was a grown man,” said Ms Mayanja.
She condemned the killing of a parent, saying family disagreements should be addressed through forgiveness and reconciliation rather than violence.
As the District Defence and Security Committee chairperson, she urged families to strengthen communication with their children and encouraged religious leaders to continue promoting love, peace and reconciliation within communities.
Mr Saimon’s cousin, Mr Daud Mboto, shared similar sentiments, saying he had never witnessed his relative engage in wrongdoing throughout their years together until he received the shocking news that he had killed his father.
He said Mr Saimoni had always been responsible for taking care of his father’s livestock.