By Wadza Botomani
A palpable air of sorrow descended upon Misesa Cemetery in Blantyre as a diverse and grieving assembly gathered to bid a final farewell to Dr. Victoria Bobe. The atmosphere was heavy with a profound sense of loss, as medical professionals, religious figures, business leaders, Catholic priests, and nuns stood united in their grief, their faces etched with the pain of a life brutally and prematurely extinguished.
The ceremony was a heart-wrenching affair, marked by a collective struggle to reconcile the vibrant, caring individual they knew with the horrifying nature of her demise.
The internment site, located along the Limbe-Thyolo road, was tragically proximate to her home in Chigumula Viphya, the scene of the unspeakable crime that unfolded on the night of November 17, 2025. It was there, at approximately 11:00 PM, that Dr. Bobe’s life was violently taken during a harrowing armed robbery.
According to investigative reports, a group of assailants, armed with blunt weapons, forcefully breached the security of her residence. The dedicated doctor was subjected to a severe and sustained physical assault within her own home, a sanctuary violated. She ultimately succumbed to the catastrophic injuries inflicted upon her during this vicious attack, a detail that has compounded the tragedy for all who knew her.
The sheer brutality of her passing stood in stark, painful contrast to the legacy she left behind. Eulogies painted a picture of a remarkably dedicated, humble, and compassionate obstetrician and gynaecologist. Her commitment to service was manifested through her vital work at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and her influential role as a lecturer at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), where she shaped the next generation of medical professionals.
A woman of deep faith, Dr. Bobe was a product of Blantyre’s Maone residential area and was only 33 years old at the time of her death. The immense tragedy of her loss is most acutely felt by her husband and two very young children, who now face a future without their wife and mother. The community, while laying her body to rest, is left to grapple not only with the absence of a cherished healer but also with the chilling violence that stole her away.
