Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s grass-thatched farmhouse and an adjacent building at Tarisa Farm in Ruwa were yesterday razed down by a raging fire which destroyed property and other valuables worth thousands of dollars.
No one was injured, but only few pieces of home furniture were salvaged from the inferno which started when Mujuru’s relative allegedly tried to burn a snake. The imposing main farmhouse and kitchen at the sprawling Damofalls suburb were grass-thatched.
The fire incident comes just three years after Mujuru’s husband, Retired General Solomon Mujuru, was burnt to ashes in a mysterious fire at his Beatrice farmhouse.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba last night confirmed the fire incident adding that no foul play was suspected.
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“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the occurrence of a fire incident that burnt a house belonging to Vice-President Cde Joice Mujuru at Tarisa Farm in Ruwa, today (yesterday) at 1030 hours,” Charamba said.
“Circumstances are that a relative of the Vice-President saw a snake close to the main house at the farm. In a bid to kill the snake, he lit fire which then got out of control and spread to the kitchen.”
“The fire subsequently spread to the main house, which has nine rooms.”
Charamba said workers managed to save some property, but the fire brigade got to the scene after the whole house had already been razed down.
“Workers at the farm managed to remove property from the house, but could not extinguish the raging fire that destroyed the main house,” she said.
“Firefighters arrived at the scene when the whole house had been razed down. The value of the property damaged has not yet been ascertained. No foul play is being suspected.”
Witnesses told NewsDay that the fire started after someone tried to burn a snake seen at the back of the family home.
“It was an accident, we are not sure how the fire started, but we heard that they wanted to burn a snake and due to the wind, the fowl run caught fire, then it went on to the kitchen and then the main house,” a neighbour, Reward Masiwa, said.
“I saw the place on fire from where I stay and people rushing to this place. That is when I also came to help and put down the fire and also to take out property. The fire was too strong for us, then the fire brigade was called and it came 45 minutes to an hour later.”
Another witness who was at the scene, Emillia Kanda, said she did not know how the fire started, but she came to help to rescue the property.
“The fire was too strong and it was burning fast, all we could do was to help in taking out the property,” Kanda said.