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Ndonga chief loses vehicle in house inferno

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THE house of Zanu Ndonga national chairman Reketai Semwayo in Westlea, Harare, was on Sunday evening gutted down by a fire in an incident which he suspects could be politically motivated.

THE house of Zanu Ndonga national chairman Reketai Semwayo in Westlea, Harare, was on Sunday evening gutted down by a fire in an incident which he suspects could be politically motivated.

REPORT BY VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER

Semwayo alleged he heard a gunshot-like sound and rushed outside to investigate, only to find his garage on fire. He alleges property worth about $20 000 was destroyed.

“We just heard a sound like a gunshot around 10pm and when I rushed outside to check I saw smoke coming from my garage,” said Semwayo.

“I am a politician and the first thing that I suspected was that this was the doing of political opponents, but I am still awaiting results of police investigations.”

Semwayo said he lost his Toyota Toyace truck in the inferno which gutted his garage roof to the ground.

“The Fire Brigade and my neighbours managed to put out the fire on time before it spread to other parts of the house. No one was injured although my vehicle was burnt beyond repair,” he said.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Harare provincial spokesperson Inspector Tadius Chibanda confirmed the incident and said a report had been made at Mabelreign Police Station.

“We are wondering where allegations of the fire incident being politically-motivated are coming from because according to the report which Semwayo made, the fire could have been caused by his housemaid who made it so that she could cook in the garage because there was no electricity,” said Chibanda. He said the housemaid could have been negligent and forgot to completely put out the fire, resulting in the accident.

“We are still awaiting a full report from the Fire Brigade to ascertain what could have caused the fire. The sounds which Semwayo describes as gunshots could have been sounds of his vehicle burning,” Chibanda said.