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A 34-year-old man from Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb has died by suicide after losing a $500 sports bet, highlighting the deepening crisis of gambling addiction in Zimbabwe.
Taurai Manyepo, a father of two, had placed a high-stakes bet on Manchester City to defeat Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup. Contrary to expectations, the English champions suffered a 4–3 defeat in extra time. The loss proved devastating for Manyepo, who had borrowed the entire sum for the wager.
According to reports, Manyepo acquired the money under false pretenses. Lloyd Pikiri, who lent him the funds, said the deceased had claimed it was needed for his mother’s CT scan at Parirenyatwa Hospital.
“I feel like I killed a friend,” Pikiri said, visibly shaken. “He gave such a convincing story about his mother’s medical emergency.”
Zimbabwean police have urged families to report all suspected suicide cases, no matter how sensitive. National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, stressed the need for thorough investigations and expressed concern over the growing number of gambling-related suicides.
World Bank data puts Zimbabwe’s suicide rate at 17.34%, with a notable rise in cases linked to financial losses from gambling.
Manyepo’s case is not isolated. In 2019, a man from Chinhoyi also died by suicide after losing $600 to betting. More recently, a Harare resident collapsed after losing $724 on the popular Aviator game, and a manager at Baker’s Inn allegedly embezzled $3,420 from his employer to support a gambling habit.
Authorities and mental health advocates are calling for urgent action to address gambling addiction and its tragic consequences.
