Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MYSTERIOUS fire that reportedly erupts almost daily at a family homestead in Mandikutse Village under Chief Marange has destroyed a two-roomed house, leaving a 48-year-old woman and her five sons homeless.
The unexplained blaze, which the family says began about three weeks ago, allegedly starts on curtains inside the house before spreading to other parts of the structure.
The latest incident, which occurred last Tuesday, reduced the family homestead to ashes and left the occupants with almost nothing.
Mother of five, Febbie Mafarachisi, and her sons, four of whom are minors, are now sleeping in the open, and appealing for assistance after losing virtually all their belongings.
The fire also spread to nearby fields surrounding their homestead.
Among the items destroyed were school uniforms, textbooks and birth certificates belonging to the children. The family managed to rescue only three blankets from the inferno.
Speaking to The Weekender, Mafarachisi’s eldest son, Wilton Kambarami, said the family has been living in fear since the mysterious fires began.
“It has been three weeks since the fires started. They usually begin on the curtains, burning from the top down.
“At first, I suspected my younger brother, who is in Form One, of secretly smoking, but I later realised that could not be the case because the fires break out even when nobody is at home,” he said.
Kambarami said family members have repeatedly tried to extinguish the fires, but the flames continue burning until they die down on their own.
“Last Tuesday, the fire broke out, and we tried everything to stop it, but it continued until our house was completely destroyed. My mother lost everything. Only three blankets were salvaged from the blaze,” he said.
He added that the unexplained incidents have since spread beyond the homestead.
“The fires have also affected our fields. We first see smoke and then flames appear. Most of the incidents occur around 5am or 5pm. My biggest fear was that the fire would break out while people were asleep inside the house.
“There is no electricity at our homestead, so we cannot suspect an electrical fault,” he said.
The family’s plight has worsened since the destruction of their home.
“I do not stay at the homestead, but my family is now sleeping in the open. They have to rely on well-wishers for food because everything was burnt. People are even scared to visit because they fear they could end up caught in the middle of these incidents,” said Kambarami.
His siblings, who include Form One, Grade Five and two Grade Two learners, are now without proper shelter or basic necessities. The matter was recently heard at Chief Marange’s community court, where Mafarachisi sought guidance after the recurring fires left her family distressed and searching for answers.
“I am not accusing anyone or taking action against anyone. I simply need help understanding what is causing these fires because I cannot seek assistance on my own,” she told the court.
Mafarachisi had appeared before the traditional court alongside her siblings, Benjie, Washington, Enock and Anna Mafarachisi. None of them objected to her request for assistance.
Chief Marange instructed the family to jointly seek spiritual intervention.
“There is need to help your sister because you never know, it could happen to any of you. Work together to find a solution so that these fires stop,” he said.
Following the court’s directive, the family consulted a traditional healer who visited the homestead last week. However, according to Kambarami, the fires have continued.
The healer reportedly said he also needed to visit the family’s ancestral home in Murehwa before completing his investigations.
Kambarami said the family also sought help from another traditional healer in Harare, who claimed the fires were linked to longstanding family grievances and that a cleansing ceremony was required.
However, financial constraints have prevented the family from pursuing the recommended intervention.
“We simply do not have the money needed to bring the healer to our homestead. We are still trying to raise the funds,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kambarami appealed to well-wishers, churches, organisations and other members of the public to assist the family with food, blankets, clothing and building materials.
A neighbour, John Matopo, said the family’s situation had touched many villagers.
“It is heart-breaking to see a family lose its home and possessions, and end up sleeping in the open. The children need shelter, food and support so they can continue with their education. Whatever the cause of the fires, the family urgently needs help,” he said.
