Zimbabwe

No compensation for us: Tenants

Desmond Munemo, H-Metro Reporter

Tenants who rented at the Harare building which went up in flames yesterday expressed rage and disbelief over their lost goods

Collin Putugare a hardware shop owner in the building told H-Metro that all his stock worth US$50 000 was destroyed by the fire.

“Ndafonerwa kuma 1am zvikanzi ndimi mune shop ye hardware muna Chinhoyi, ndikati ehe, zvikanzi iri kubvira mhanyai.

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Collin Putugare

“I was here in less than 20 minutes but this place was already packed and I saw a thief being chased trying to get away with a solar panel from the flames.

“I lost everything, electricals, hardware, nothing is left and I don’t know where to start since my stuff was worth around US$50 000,” he said.

Mai Chido said she had used all her money to stock up her shop with back to school items.

“Zvinorwadza hanzvadzi, now mu India iyeye akuti hapana chatinowana kana compensation, akutoti iloss yanguwo nemi.

“They were protecting that service station instead of putting out the fire on our side, they wanted to protect service station isina kana fuel futi.

“We lost so many things, it’s disheartening, my photocopying machine is gone,” she said.

Diana Mbewe told H-Metro that she has lost a sewing machine which was her source of income.

“Ndipo pese ipapo, hapana kana chasara, hembe dzema customer zvese zvaparara.

“Vamwe vangu vanga vahodha back to school and mari yatakawana December yese takaihodhesa zve back to school, zvese hapasisina,” said Mbewe.

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Another shop owner named Mai Mitchy said the owners of the building should engage the tenants over compensation.

“Isu taivapa mari every month tisinga jambe mwedzi, vanofanira kuona zvekuita nesu, tinotangira papi?

“Vana vedu vanoita sei ne school fees dzataka tarisana nadzo, kuzoti ma uniform,” she said.

HMETRO