By Showbiz Reporter – Families of the two Zimbabwean students who tragically died in a car crash while on their way to attend Jah Prayzah’s concert in Edmonton, Canada, have launched GoFundMe campaigns to raise funds for the repatriation of their bodies.
Anotida Kimberly Maziriri and Eddmore Mafuwe lost their lives in the fatal crash on Saturday night, just hours before the first show of Jah Prayzah’s Ndini Mukudzeyi World Tour in Canada. The second performance was scheduled for Toronto the following day.
The heartbreaking news sent shockwaves through the Zimbabwean community, with a swift outpouring of support from the diaspora and well-wishers around the globe. By 5pm Zimbabwean time on Sunday, 201 donors had raised CAD $5,993—40% of the CAD $15,000 target—for Anotida, through a campaign organised by Aisher Magomo. For Eddmore, 83 contributors had donated CAD $3,243—22% of the target—in a campaign managed by Tinashe Mazibiye.
Jah Prayzah, born Mukudzeyi Mukombe, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. In a statement released on Sunday, he said:
“Ndarwadziwa zvikuru neshoko randafumira kugamuchira. I have learnt of the passing of two young fans of mine… To think they never made it to that moment hurts in a way I cannot explain.”
He added that upon returning home, he would visit the families in person to pay his respects.
The families of the deceased are reeling from the loss. In a tribute titled “In Loving Memory of Anotida,” the Maziriri family described her as a “bright light… kind, loving, and deeply cherished.” They said her sudden death had left a permanent void.
Eddmore Mafuwe, originally from Arlington Estate in Harare, had moved to Canada in 2022 to study Engineering at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. His family, in a statement titled “Help Bring Eddmore Mafuwe Home to Zimbabwe,” said:
“We are raising funds to return his body to Zimbabwe so his family can lay him to rest with dignity.”
The tragic accident has cast a somber cloud over what was intended to be a celebration of Zimbabwean music and culture abroad. Social media platforms have since been flooded with tributes and condolence messages, mourning the loss of two promising young lives.