A fire broke out in apartment C9 at the palatial Northfields Complex in Harare in the early hours of Monday.
The occupant of the luxurious flat was top investment
banker and chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development
Agency (ZIDA) Mr Douglas Munatsi.
It has since emerged that around 2.50am Mr Munatsi alerted
neighbours of a fire in his penthouse and called out for help.
Charles Gardiner — one of his neighbours, who is also
chairperson of the Northfields Owners Association — was among the first to hear
the distress call and duly called the Harare Fire Brigade.
Within 11 minutes of the call, firefighters arrived at the
scene. They took two hours to fight the raging inferno, by which time Mr
Munetsi had already died.
The ZIDA CEO will be buried
today at Greendale Cemetery in Harare, marking the end of an illustrious
life of a pioneering corporate mind and patriot.
Investigations are still underway to find the cause of the
fire.
The Sunday Mail reached out to the City of Harare’s fire
department, who referred all questions to the police.
“All communication on this matter has to come from the
police,” council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said.
And Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant
Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations are ongoing.
“We are still conducting investigations and if any new
information comes up, we will let you know,” he said.
A police source close to the investigation told The Sunday
Mail that police are keen to interview a woman only identified as Colleta, who
was the last person to see Mr Munatsi alive.
“We are still to account and interview the woman who is
alleged to have visited the deceased the night before his death. We are also
waiting to receive the report from the Fire Brigade to ascertain the cause of
the fire. But so far there is nothing new,” said the source.
The Munatsi family has commissioned a separate autopsy with
a South African pathologist as they seek closure.
This publication has gathered that the family intends to
compare their autopsy report with one being undertaken by Government
pathologists.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail, the Munatsi family
spokesperson, Mr Teddy Gazi, said they have lost a family pillar who uplifted
many lives.
“He was an employer, educator and benefactor of many close
and extended family members.
“He employed many relatives at Kunatsa Estates, Jacob
Bethel and while at FMB and BancABC to name a few.
“He was looking after many orphaned and underprivileged
children,” said Gazi.
Asked on whether the family suspects foul play, Gazi said
they will wait for the report from law enforcement agents before they reach any
conclusions.
“The family is grateful and appreciates the State
assistance,” he said.
A sombre mood engulfed the ZIDA headquarters this week as
Doug’s former colleagues struggled to come to terms with his sudden demise.
ZIDA chief investment and corporate affairs officer Mr Tino
Kambasha described his late boss as a person who could bring out the best in
everyone.
He said he remembered how they burnt the midnight oil while
setting up the inaugural ZIDA secretariat.
“It was very difficult. Remember, he was appointed during
Covid-19 and we had to work under extreme pressure. I was the first executive
to be appointed at ZIDA, so I saw all the work he was putting in to make sure
that the organisation succeeds,” he said.
“I remember when we would work long hours, holding
interviews via Zoom seeking the right candidates for the various roles we had.
We used to work extremely long hours.”
Mr Munatsi, he said, was gifted with wit and humour.
“He was a happy character, who loved to joke around a lot.
Each time he walked into the office, he would bring either a joke or play us a
new song he would have discovered,” he added.
Mr Munatsi was a gym and golf fanatic, who dedicated most
of his free time to fitness and treading the golf course.
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