Suspicious Fire Destroys Guruve RDC Planning Office, Explosives Found at Scene

Guruve, Zimbabwe — A fire that broke out at the Guruve Rural District Council’s planning department last Thursday has raised alarm following the discovery of what appear to be explosive remnants at the site, prompting suspicions of deliberate sabotage.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Forensics Unit attended the scene and recovered two burnt power fuse cable remnants from behind the destroyed office block. Investigators are treating the matter as suspicious and are currently pursuing leads.

Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon. Christopher Magomo, who visited the scene, expressed deep concern over the potential implications for local development.

“This is a major setback. Critical documents relating to Guruve’s housing developments and town planning have been lost. We suspect foul play and urge law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice. Acts like these only delay progress,” he stated.

According to Guruve RDC Chairperson Alderman Fadson Mandaza, the destroyed office housed all records relating to land sales, stand ownership, and housing development plans.

“Initially, we thought it could have been an electrical fault, but given the extent of the damage and the forensic findings, this looks more serious. We hope the perpetrators are apprehended soon,” Mandaza said.

The fire also destroyed two desktop computers and an essential laptop used for housing records, severely impacting planning operations in the district.

The local authority fears that service delivery, particularly in housing administration, will now face significant delays as efforts to reconstruct lost data get underway.