Theseus Mauruki Shambare
The City of Bulawayo has trained 45 firefighters from rural district councils in the operation of Belarusian Red Lion fire tenders, as Government moves to strengthen emergency response capacity through skills development alongside investment in firefighting equipment.
The training programme, being implemented at the instruction of the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Daniel Garwe, has positioned Bulawayo as a key centre for transferring firefighting expertise to other local authorities.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Mhlangano Moyo said the city had completed training its first batch of 45 personnel drawn from several rural districts, while a second group involving five local authorities was nearing completion.
He said the programme began in 2024, with senior officers from Bulawayo and Harare receiving specialised instruction in operating the Belarusian fire engines before cascading the acquired knowledge to subordinate personnel.
“The Belarus engine programme started in 2024 with the City of Bulawayo and Harare. We went for training in March; all senior officers, including the chief officers, took part in this programme.
“They were trained in the use of these Red Lion fire trucks. Thereafter, we had to engage our subordinates, that is, station officers or sub-officers, for this training programme,” he said.
Bulawayo received four Belarusian fire engines, with the city beginning to train its own firefighters around May, June and July before deploying the vehicles.
Mr Moyo said the city was subsequently tasked by Minister Garwe to extend the training to other local authorities, particularly rural district councils that had received the firefighting equipment.
The first batch comprised 45 personnel from Hwange, Binga, Lupane, Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Matobo.
The second batch, which is almost complete, involves Lupane, Mberengwa and Bubi rural district councils, Gwanda Rural District Council and Gwanda Town Board.
A third batch covering Beitbridge, Zimba, Chiredzi and Bulilima is expected to follow.
Mr Moyo expressed satisfaction with the performance of the equipment already deployed in rural districts, saying the fire engines remained operational and were performing well.
He said the vehicles, each with a water-carrying capacity of 5 000 litres, had improved firefighting operations and response to emergency calls.
BiSON Agro Machinery marketing director Mr Andrei Kleinov said the success of the programme should be measured not only by the number of fire tenders delivered but also by the capacity of local authorities to operate and maintain them.
“The success of any equipment supply programme is not measured merely by the number of machines delivered, but by the capacity of the people entrusted with operating them. We are therefore encouraged by Bulawayo’s initiative to train firefighters from other local authorities,” he said.
He said skills development and technical support were essential in ensuring that the equipment continued delivering value, particularly in rural communities where emergency response resources could be limited.
The initiative complements Government’s wider programme under which 114 Belarusian fire tenders have been distributed to more than 90 local authorities across the country.
