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Cde Chipanga

Herald Reporter
Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Cde Kudzanai Chipanga yesterday dismissed claims by Manicaland provincial youth chairperson Cde Mubuso Chinguno that his farm house was torched by political opponents in the ruling party.

Cde Chipanga’s house caught fire on Wednesday afternoon destroying property worth over $15 000.

Privately owned media quoted Cde Chinguno claiming the fire that gutted Chipanga’s 12-roomed house in Rusape was the work of the so-called “Lacoste” faction within Zanu-PF.

But Cde Chipanga told The Herald he did not suspect foul play as an electrician he had hired before the incident had warned him of the dangers of naked cables in the ceiling.

This is corroborated by a police report on the incident seen by The Herald though Cde Chipanga said he was yet to see it.

“I have not been favoured with that report, but it is true. I do not suspect foul play,” said Cde Chipanga.

“I suspect an electrical fault. I thank God there was no loss of life. Material things you can replace, but human life, no way. I value human life more than material things.”

A police report seen by The Herald indicates that Cde Chipanga hired an electrician known as Soda from a power company in Harare to install lights outside his house.

“During the process of installation, the said electrician discovered that electrical cables in the kitchen ceiling were naked (did not have insulation) and that they were a cause of concern. The complainant and the electrician agreed to attend to the problem in the ceiling on a later date when they had enough time,” reads the police report.

Cde Chipanga corroborated this account saying, “Yes, I took an electrician from Harare to fix the electricity and we arranged that he was going to come back to inspect some areas where he had raised some concerns particularly in the ceiling. He had observed some naked wires.”

Total cost caused by the fire including the house is estimated at $120 000. The police report added that the scene was attended by ZRP Rusape Rural, Police Internal Security Intelligence and the Criminal Investigation Department.

“There were naked electrical cables hanging from the top of the walls throughout the house,” noted the team.

“Even after the fire, all windows were still closed and screen doors were still locked. The contents of the house were completely burnt and the walls were cracking. Nothing could be salvaged from the house.

“The complainant’s wife forgot to switch off an electrical water heater that was inside a 20-litre plastic bucket in the kitchen where the fire started. The bucket was on top of a plastic table that was close to the fitted wooden kitchen unit,” reads the police report.

“I do not suspect foul play at all. There is no politics in this accident,” said Cde Chipanga. “I know, I am a political animal and people can say what they think, but to say this was political is taking it too far. I have 24-hour security at the farmhouse and to think anyone would come in the afternoon to torch the farmhouse is not possible.

“I am almost certain this was as a result of an electrical problem. In fact, my wife and the maid are saying they thought one of them would switch off the water heater. So, I think the water heater was not switched off,” said Cde Chipanga.

The reported noted that engineers from Zesa attended the scene and were yet to make their determination and the complainant did not suspect any foul play as he believed it was an electrical problem.