Zimbabwe is strengthening its firefighting capacity through the provision of Belarusian fire tenders to local authorities under a deal facilitated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, with all 16 rural district councils (RDCs) receiving the equipment for the first time.
The fire engeines, supported by Bison Agro Machinery, said to aim improve emergency response and equip local authorities to tackle fires that threaten lives, property and public infrastructure.
Speaking on the initiative, Civil Protection Unit (CPU) representative Chief Director Nathan Nkomo said equipping the country’s 92 local authorities with fire tenders is a significant step towards improving firefighting capacity.
He recalled the loss of 10 lives in Umzingwane, where people attempted to extinguish a fire with their bare hands, highlighting the dangers of responding to emergencies without appropriate equipment.
The wisdom by His Excellency, the think of capacitating all the 92 local authorities, fire tender. It was a change. You remember when we lost 10 lives in Umzingwane, because they wanted to extinguish fire using their bare hands, which was not possible. So I think now we can now address fire science, is the fires that occur in urban areas, using the machine. And for the safety, all the city CEOs, all the city CEOs, they also managed fire tender. And we are happy that we have mechanized everything.,” he said.
Nkomo said the availability of firefighting machinery would strengthen the response to fires, particularly in urban areas where repeated incidents have exposed the need for adequate emergency equipment.
Bison Agro Machinery, which supports the supply of the Belarusian equipment, is expected to play a key role in the initiative.
The company’s marketing manager, Adrei Kleinov said “Our objective is to provide machinery that meets the practical needs of users. Farmers need equipment that supports harvesting and transportation, while fire departments require reliable vehicles that can perform under demanding conditions,” said Kleinov.
He said the machinery’s contribution depended not only on its availability but also on its performance and the support provided to users. The equipment’s impact will ultimately be measured by how effectively fire services can deploy it during emergencies.
At Bulawayo Fire Station, Chief Fire Officer Mhlangano Moyo also spoke positively about the trucks, noting that reliability was essential in emergency response.
“When a fire breaks out, we need equipment that we can depend on. The Belarus trucks have been performing well, and their water-carrying capacity is an important feature in our work,” said Ndlovu.
He said having suitable firefighting equipment was essential to protecting lives and property, adding that the performance of vehicles during actual emergencies remained a key consideration for fire services. The provision of the fire tenders is expected to strengthen local authorities’ ability to respond to emergencies. However, sustained effectiveness will also depend on trained personnel, reliable water supplies, maintenance and adequate operational funding.
