KEY POINTS
- Massive fire destroys vendors’ goods at Harare’s Mbare Musika market.
- An estimated 2,000 traders lost their stock, with damages reaching thousands of dollars.
- Vendors call for government support as they struggle to rebuild their livelihoods.
At Mbare Musika, the biggest informal market in Harare, a terrible fire has burned thousands of dollars’ worth of products, leaving merchants frantically trying to salvage what they can from the debris.
According to New Zimbabwe, the lively market was turned to ashes by the fire, which started on Tuesday night and negatively affected the livelihoods of thousands of vendors.
Traders Struggle to Cope with Losses
As he recalled how he lost bags of beans he had bought the day before the fire from Zambia, Innocent Magaya, a longtime market trader, voiced his profound sadness.
“When I learned about the fire, I was at home. Magaya fought back tears as she recalled, “I hurried to the market only to watch my entire stock go up in flames.”
Hardware store owner Tonderai Mutoro told a similar story of hopelessness. The fire destroyed his shop, which had provided for his family for almost ten years.
Mutoro lost most of his stock, although he was able to preserve a few goods. “I thought the fire was small when I got there, but as soon as I saw the flames, I realized it was much worse. He bemoaned, “Now most of my goods are reduced to ashes.”
Vendors’ Plea for Assistance
The depth of the damage became evident as the sellers dug through the rubble. Over 2,000 unofficial traders rely on the market, which is now in ruins, and goods worth millions were lost.
A merchant named Mai Ushe was distraught after losing $20,000 worth of products. “I began working here in 2007.” I recently bought new supply, but it’s all gone now. To reconstruct, we need the government’s help,” she stated.
The cause of the fire, which is yet unknown, is being investigated by the Harare City Council.
