Mbare fire evidence disappears

Investigations into the cause of the devastating fire that engulfed Mbare Musika last week have reportedly stalled as vendors rushed to clean up and reclaim the affected space, NewsDay has learned. The fire, which destroyed goods and merchandise worth millions of United States dollars, has severely impacted approximately 5,000 families who rely on the market for their livelihoods.

The Harare Fire Department is struggling to establish the fire's cause, as initial efforts to investigate were disrupted by vendors' quick return to the site. The inferno brought the bustling Mbare area to a halt, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa declaring the incident a state of disaster.

During a consultative meeting with councillors and vendors' representatives, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume revealed that the Fire Brigade was still working to provide an accurate report. He mentioned that the leading theory is that the fire may have started from improperly disposed charcoal used for cooking, which then ignited dry produce in the market.

"As council, we are waiting on the Fire Brigade to tell us what the real cause of the fire is. They suspect it may have started from charcoal, which blended with other elements, leading to a profuse fire," Mafume said. "Unfortunately, vendors cleaned the area before we could conduct a full forensic investigation."

To prevent further panic and displacement, Mafume reassured vendors that the council was taking steps to restructure the market while ensuring temporary solutions for traders.

"There is trauma from what happened with Mupedzanhamo market, which was closed for five years. We need to ensure that vendors have a temporary space to operate from if reconstruction begins, and we will provide a timeline for the work being done," Mafume stated.

The mayor also highlighted the need for compensation for those who lost property in the fire and announced plans to redesign both the Mbare retail and wholesale markets. The council is set to produce a draft architectural design by the end of the week, focusing on expanding the market with new multi-storey structures to accommodate the growing volumes of vendors and customers.

Key issues such as improving drainage, fire safety equipment, and climate control within the new structures will be prioritized to avoid future disasters.

The government has also stepped in, with Information Minister Jenfan Muswere announcing plans to reconstruct the market under a partnership with a leading engineering and construction firm. This will be done using a Design, Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Finance model, which aims to provide high-quality facilities in a short time.

"Cabinet approved this model to rebuild the Mbare Traders Market and ensure that traders can resume operations in an orderly environment that also facilitates formalisation and tax compliance," Muswere said during a post-Cabinet briefing. He added that the model could be replicated for other markets across the country.

In the meantime, the government will provide livelihood and social assistance support to the affected traders as they recover from the disaster.