Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
GOGO Vaidah Murahwa might soon be getting a helping hand, with her house being rebuilt, but she says the nightmare from that incident has scarred her for life.
The 75-year-old is lucky to alive after she was forced to crawl out of her burning house after robbers set it on fire.
Neighbours are saying the fact that Gogo Murahwa managed to crawl out of the burning house was a miracle because she is unable to walk.
Lucile Real Estate has pledged to rebuild Gogo Murahwa’s house and furnish it.
While that has brought some relief to Gogo Murahwa, she says the horror incident has left psychological scars, which will never heal.
Gogo Murahwa was a teacher before he retired.
She lost her husband, Timothy Tendai Murahwa, in August last year.
He was 80.
She is a member of the Methodist in Zimbabwe Church.
Investigators have said the blaze appears linked to a suspected robbery attempt in which the criminals were targeting her solar panels.
No arrests have been made.
Gogo Murahwa was living with her maid and her grandson.
“Every sound feels like it’s happening again,” said Gogo Murahwa.
Since the incident, she has reported frightening episodes during the night — moments she describes as flashbacks to her ordeal in the smoke, heat and the panic of being trapped.
“I am losing sleep, spending the better part of the night in prayers.
“The thick black smoke I witnessed protruding from one of the bedrooms is still vivid in my eyes.
“I feel like all three of us could have died in the inferno.”
She added:
“I try to sleep but it’s like the horror comes back. When I close my eyes, suddenly I will be back in that room.
“I hear things that aren’t there. Sometimes I wake up crying.”
Gogo Murahwa has since relocated to her son-in-law’s house.
But, she says she feels uncomfortable and unable to enjoy the comfort of her new surroundings.
“I thank my son-in-law for providing me with shelter – ndiko kubereka.
“His bedroom and house are more comfortable but I feel like my stay will be disturbing their lifestyle.”
She added that her friends, particularly church members and leaders, have been visiting and supporting her with spiritual and material help.
“Because of what I am going through, it’s forcing me to spend much of the day at the burnt house to be with my neighbours and the community,” said Gogo Murahwa.
She continued, in a Shona line that captures the distress she feels right now.
“Zvirikuita sekunge ndisisiri ini arikurarama.”
She lost her walking stick in the inferno.
Family members say she has been avoiding going into her burnt house and has become uncomfortable whenever she hears sirens.
Her daughter, Chipo Murahwa, described her mother as a ‘prayer warrior.’
She said:
“We want to thank God for the gift of life.
“My mother had been waking up with messages of prayer during the night before this incident.
“Maybe, she was sensing danger.
“My mother is a prayer warrior. This could have been targeting her life, and not the solar panels.”
She thanked community members and church leaders for standing with Gogo Murahwa.
“Thank you very much, Greencroft community, for the support.”
Some residents say Gogo Murahwa now fears even to open her gate.
“Residents are horrified by what took place at Mai Murahwa’s home. Many are still in shock,” a neighbour said.
Community members appealed to well-wishers to assist the family.
They say their neighbourhood and the adjacent neighbourhoods like Mabelreign have been targeted by armed robbers.
They called on authorities to increase police presence in the area.
In particular, residents appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen police stations and posts in Mabelreign.
According to the residents, Mabelreign has expanded so much that it now has a population of more than 56,000.
They said ZRP Mabelreign was being forced to police a very large area, including up to Reignham in the Zvimba Constituency, making it “not feasible” to respond effectively to crime.
Residents also complained about the proliferation of liquor outlets across the Mabelreign area, which they fear creates an environment where criminal elements can operate late into the night.
Some claimed the Greencroft shops area has become a haven for prostitution and that also draws criminal activity.
Authorities continue to investigate the suspected robbery and the fire.
Solar panel systems have increasingly become targets of robbers countrywide, according to some law enforcement agencies and consumer security groups.
This is because of their resale value and the relative ease with which parts can be removed and resold.
Gogo Murahwa’s relatives say she needs both medical and emotional support, including counselling and care to help address anxiety and trauma.
“She survived the flames,” a relative said. “But the nights are different.
“The fire didn’t just burn the house—it changed everything about how she sleeps.”
The family said they are also urging the community to review security around solar equipment and reporting suspicious activity.
Police are asking anyone with information about the robbery attempt or the fire to contact investigators.
Officials said tips may be provided anonymously, and they are seeking surveillance footage, witness statements, and any details that could identify the suspects.
For now, Gogo Murahwa’s survival is being described as miraculous but her family says the damage is far from over.
“We were grateful she got out,” the relative said.
“We just never thought the hardest part would be her waking up after midnight.”
Bongani Ndlovu