Mysterious Fires Leave Marange Family Homeless

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare

A family in Mandikutse Village under Chief Marange, Manicaland Province, has been left homeless after a series of unexplained fires destroyed their two-roomed house, leaving a mother and her five sons without shelter or most of their belongings.

Febbie Mafarachisi, 48, and her children say the fires have been occurring almost daily for the past three weeks, with the latest blaze last Tuesday reducing their home to ashes. Four of Mafarachisi’s five sons are minors. The family is now sleeping in the open and relying on well-wishers for food and other basic necessities.

According to the family, the fires usually begin on curtains inside the house before spreading to other parts of the structure. Their attempts to extinguish the flames have reportedly been unsuccessful. The latest incident destroyed the entire two-roomed house, while nearby fields were also affected.

Among the belongings lost were school uniforms, textbooks and the children’s birth certificates. The family reportedly managed to salvage only three blankets. Speaking to The Manica Post, Mafarachisi’s eldest son, Wilton Kambarami, said the recurring incidents had left the family frightened and uncertain about their safety. “It has been three weeks since the fires started. They usually begin on the curtains, burning from the top down,” he said.

Kambarami said he initially suspected his younger brother, who is in Form One, of secretly smoking, but later dismissed the possibility after fires reportedly broke out even when nobody was at home. He said family members had repeatedly tried to put out the flames, but the fires continued until they eventually died down.

The incidents have also reportedly spread beyond the homestead, affecting fields near the property. “The fires have also affected our fields. We first see smoke, and then flames appear. Most of the incidents occur around 5 am or 5 pm,” Kambarami said. He added that the family had no electricity at the homestead, although the cause of the fires has not yet been independently established.

Family Seeks Help Through Traditional Court

The destruction has left the family facing an urgent need for shelter, food and school supplies.

Kambarami said his mother and younger siblings were now sleeping in the open, while some people were reportedly reluctant to visit the homestead because of fears surrounding the recurring fires.

The matter was recently brought before Chief Marange’s community court, where Mafarachisi sought assistance and guidance. She appeared alongside her siblings, Benjie, Washington, Enock and Anna Mafarachisi, who supported her appeal for help.

Chief Marange urged the family to work together in seeking a solution. “There is a need to help your sister because you never know; it could happen to any of you. Work together to find a solution so that these fires stop,” he said. Following the traditional court proceedings, the family consulted a traditional healer who visited the homestead last week. However, Kambarami said the fires had continued.

The healer reportedly recommended further investigations at the family’s ancestral home in Murehwa. The family also approached another traditional healer in Harare, who reportedly linked the incidents to longstanding family grievances and recommended a cleansing ceremony.

However, the family says it cannot afford the costs involved. The explanations offered by the traditional healers have not established the cause of the fires, and the circumstances surrounding the incidents remain unclear.

Appeal for Public Assistance

With their home destroyed and essential belongings lost, the family is appealing to well-wishers, churches, organisations and members of the public for assistance. They urgently need food, blankets, clothing, building materials and other necessities to help them rebuild their lives.

The loss of school uniforms, textbooks and birth certificates has also created additional challenges for the children, who need support to continue with their education. For Mafarachisi and her sons, the immediate priority is finding safe shelter and securing the basic necessities they need to recover from the devastating loss. Anyone willing to assist the family is encouraged to reach out through verified community contacts or local leadership.

Marange family fires