Harare businessman loses agro raw materials in Centenary farmhouse inferno

Centenary- HARARE businessman Tawanda Zvemhere popularly known as Boss Mbada lost property worth over US$200 000 after a veld fire gutted his Centenary farm this week, Express Mail Zim can report.

Boss Mbada’s farm house is located in Mashonaland Central under Chief Chiweshe and property was grazed down.

In an interview with Express Mail Zim, Boss Mbada said he was shattered.

“The incident has really shattered me and I hope the relevant authorities will put in measures to prevent this menace.
” We don’t even know how the fire started.
” People should be educated on how starting careless fires can destroy lives and the environment and hefty penalties should be put in place to punish those who do not take heed,” said Boss Mbada.

He however spew venom on authorities for acting late.

” On the other hand, the relevant athourities are also to blame they are only available after the aftermath .
“They do not put up preventive measures before incidents occur. “They are nowhere to be found, they have offices in town but you rarely see them in farms educating locals on the impacts of veld fires now we have lost all the grazing land, we have nothing to feed our live stock ,” he said.

The businessman lost raw materials worth over $15 000 which included 200 bags of fertilizer, maize seed, 150 litres of Nato herbicide 15 bags of cement, amongst other things.

The fire also affected neighbours including a white farmer Dave Harwin, Evernice Tsangu an Arex officer and the Kamwaza homestead and they all lost valuable farming raw materials and houses.

According to EMA, causes of veld fires include reckless disposal of cigarette stubs, lighting fires by roadsides while waiting for early morning buses, deliberate lighting of fires, children playing with matches and improper household ash disposal.

Last week, President Mnangagwa said government will come up with a new national strategy to minimize the increase in veld fires.

He shared the sentiments in his condolence message to the families of 10 farm workers who died while trying to extinguish a fire in Esigodini.