Kwekwe Polytechnic, Friday 5th of June 2026 - What was supposed to be a lovely Sunday (24 May 2026), ended up being a black Sunday. Believers had gone out to various churches for Sunday worship amongst other things to pray for exams which were starting on Monday. Book-worms were at the campus to make a final push at the (exam) “market place”. Soccer die hards were not deterred by the imminency of the exams to have a Sunday match. Of course some stayed put in their rooms. At around mid-day, scenes of a bellowing black smoke quickly formed a cumulonimbus-like cloud. The popular GTS Boarding house, hardly a kilometre away from Kwekwe Polytechnic campus was on fire. Those who were inside the rooms quickly fled for their lives with only a few items they could rescue. Others upon seeing and hearing of the news, they ran from 7 directions with the hope of retrieving their items of value. Alas, upon their arrival, they could not do anything but watch in tears. Items of value, cash, laptops, food, blankets, note books, phones, academic and identify particulars, you name it, were reduced to ashes. Although the city’s fire brigade made a swift response, much of the property was destroyed due to the intensity of the fire. Investigations to establish the actual cause of the fire are on-going. It was a traumatic experience for the students. The institution, working together with the Civil Protection Unity headed by Kwekwe’s DDC Mr Mupungu and a plethora of other stakeholders have joined hands to provide psycho-social support for the students. Today the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands Province, Hon Ncube visited Kwekwe Polytechnic and came face to face with the victims. He consoled them following the incident and made a donation of items which are meant to mitigate the discomfort during such a difficult moment. His donation targeted a package for each of the victims and it included mealie meal, cereals, soaps, cooking oils, body lotions, blankets, towels, buckets, pots and many more. He also left USD$1 200 to buy more material so that each of the victims get the same equal amount of items. In total, 98 students got affected, comprising of 67 males and 31 females students. Other officials witnessing the handover included the Mayor of the City of Kwekwe, His Worship, Cllr Zinhanga, members of the Joint Operation Command and other Senior Government Officials. The Acting Principal, Mr Gora expressed sincere gratitude to such a gesture demonstrated by the minister during such a moment. The students, giving a vote of thanks said the donation was realy a relief to their traumatic experience. They further appealed to the Minister to help expedite the process of recovering their academic and identify particulars, a process which has already been initiated.
Beyond the information given
Minister cushions boarding house inferno victims
By
Staff Reporter