Online Reporter
Daniel Chigunwe
Herald Correspondent
ABOUT 24 households from Chiweshe, who are victims of a recent wild veld fire, received food aid following interventions by the local area legislator on Saturday.
Many families in Chiweshe and Glendale were last week left counting losses after a ravaging veld fire swept through their homes, burning huts, property, crop fields and leaving victims nursing wounds with some admitted in hospital.
The fire is reported to have been ignited by a mentally-challenged woman in Gweshe, Ward 12.
Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Mazowe Central Cde Dr Maxmore Njanji visited the affected families at Gweshe were he handed over mealie meal, beans, matemba and bread to the affected families.
Dr Njanji also assured the victims of the government’s sensitivity to their plight adding that the Civil Protection Unit has since been activated to come to the rescue of these families.
“We are so disheartened by this calamitous event which has left our people injured with some currently nursing wounds from the burns, we have others who are admitted at Howard Hospital Mission as a result of the fire.
“After receiving the sad news I managed to secure food items as a temporary relief measure whilst we are running around to secure more assistance, it is sad that many of these people lost various food items, important documents, farming inputs and forms of livelihoods” said Dr Njanji.
The legislator further revealed that there was still more need for food relief to the other families in many parts of the constituency including Howard, Musarara and Mudzonga villages who are victims of the veld fire.
Several income generating projects including bee hives and poultry were destroyed exposing households to food insecurity.
A victim, Mrs Bridget Hungwe from Munongerwa village recounted a sad loss of her broiler project to the fire, “we are so touched by this incident as it has affected our source of income, the fire burnt the hut which had 50 broilers and all the stocked feed for the project.
“A bed and blankets which were in the part of the hut where our children were sleeping was also burnt to ashes, we are however grateful for receiving food aid as we were left without any foodstuffs to feed the family.”
Wellington Meki of Mapfumo village is another victim who also got burnt trying to save his property from the fire, “we lost various items including building material that we had purchased for our house construction, blankets and food.
“It is unfortunate, that in the process of trying to save some of the items, I was also burnt my face and arm, I am appealing for medical assistance.”
Meanwhile, Ward 12 Councillor Mr Brighton Muzhira appealed for the victims to be given first preference in the distribution of social welfare programs as well as Pfumvudza farming inputs so that they can quickly get back to their normal lives.
Online Reporter