Zanu-PF office, printing firm bombed

POLICE have launched investigations after the Zanu PF-owned Jongwe Printers and party offices in a Harare suburb were allegedly firebombed on Saturday morning.

Property worth thousands of dollars was destroyed when the party's ward office in Harare's Highfield suburb went up in flames that also spread to an adjacent supermarket.

The owner of Grocery World Supermarket is said to have fainted as she surveyed the damage.

"When the boss came this morning, she fainted because goods worth over US$50,000 went up in flames," said an employee.

"The Fire Brigade came on time. Unfortunately, they did not have enough water to stop the fire from spreading from the Zanu PF office."

Zanu PF Harare chairman Amos Midzi said damages at the printing company had been minimal although the Highfield office had been reduced to ashes.

"I can confirm that Jongwe Printers was petrol-bombed in the early hours of (Saturday), but not much damage was inflicted," he said.

"At Machipisa, there was complete destruction of property. As a party, we are certainly looking into the matter while working with the police."

A party official said they suspected foul play.

"The office is now in ashes and we have lost property which includes benches, tables and books," said FitzGerald Mukumba.

"The forensic experts came and took some samples. Results will be out soon, but our position at the moment is that there was foul play because there was no electricity, therefore, it could not have been an electrical fault."

Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi said they were still to determine whether the attacks were politically-motivated as investigations were still continuing and no arrest had yet been made.