Gono chicken farm set on fire a month after Baba Jukwa warning

HARARE – Property worth more than US$30 000 was yesterday burnt at a chicken farm belonging to Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono on the outskirts of Harare in a suspected arson attack.

Farm equipment that included electric motors, electronic feeding troughs and grazing land were destroyed in the inferno that started around 3pm. The chief operating officer for TD Holdings, a subsidiary of Lunar Chickens, Mr Velenjani Lupankwa said they suspected foul play.

A report was made at Borrowdale Police Station.

“We are still assessing the damage, but our preliminary investigations have shown that property worth more than US$30 000 has been destroyed,” he said.

“Considering the fact that the fire has coincided with the visit by our auditors from Europe we are suspecting foul play because the cause of fire is not known and this is the first time we have fire breaking out.

“You also need to realise that not everyone is happy with what we are doing, but as I said earlier we are still investigating, but our preliminary investigations have shown that there was a hand behind the fire.”

Mr Lupankwa said some of the equipment which was destroyed included electric motors and part of the grazing land.

“We have lost some of our electronic motors and as you can see some of grazing land is gone, but the good thing is fire brigade arrived on time and they have managed to control the fire before much harm was done to these projects,” he said.

Last month after the death of former Minister Eward Chindori Chininga, Facebook activists Baba Jukwa warned Gideon Gono that there was a plot to assassinate him.

“I wonder still as well why Gideon Gono is not heeding my warning. Funeral wake is going to visit his family very soon if he doesn’t take drastic measures to save his precious life.

“They want your head in the platter. Saviour Kasukuwere, Nicholas Goche, Sydney Sekeramayi, Dick Mafios and the evil crew are responsible for Hon Chindori Chininga’s death and are also responsible for an attempt on the life of Mashonaland Central Governor Martin Dinha,” Baba Jukwa alleged.

On Friday Baba Jukwa posted a message saying “Saviour Kasukuwere was already pouncing on him (Gono). He dispatched Fidelis Fengu and his team to go and burn down GG’s chickens to ashes. They wanted to hit where it hurts him most.

“The war to assassinate GG is now intensifying. GG ran away from the country some three weeks ago to Mauritius and came back to check how his things were moving only to be pounced at by the arsonist Fidelis Fengu.

But their real intention in to kill him and as l tipped GG few weeks ago he must run away and stay somewhere outside the country until the tension has subsided because Kasukuwere is meaning serious business. He wants to see GG dead by all means necessary,” Baba Jukwa wrote.