Bulawayo Teen Dies After Ingesting Poison Over ZIMSEC Results

A 16-year-old girl from Bulawayo's Nguboyenja suburb has died after allegedly ingesting poison following her November 2025 Ordinary Level results. According to police, the teenager consumed cockroach insecticide after discovering she had passed only two subjects out of seven.

The incident occurred on January 16 at around 9:30 PM when the teenager accessed her results through the ZIMSEC website. Upon learning of her results, she became devastated and started crying. She then rushed to the kitchen, where she took Dichlorvos insecticide from a cupboard and drank it.

The girl's cousin saw her and quickly snatched the insecticide, alerting others to what had happened. Relatives attempted to administer first aid by giving her milk and charcoal before rushing her to Mpilo Central Hospital. Unfortunately, she passed away while being admitted.

Police are urging young people facing emotional distress to seek help from parents, teachers, counselors, or trusted individuals rather than resorting to self-harm. They also appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that pesticides, poisons, and other toxic substances are kept out of reach of children.