Farmers from Lwandeti village in Matete Sub County are counting losses after mysterious fire whose exact source is yet to be established has been gutting down acres of sugarcane.
Speaking to West FM, one of victims, Mr. Allan Kitali, explained how his sugarcane on one acre went up in flames at about 11pm last Friday.
“The fire spread so first, completely outwitting a team of rescuers that comprised my family members and neighbours,” reported a devastated 80 year old man.
According to the farmer, the cane was mature and ready for harvesting before being transferred to Butali Sugar Mill, “I’m yet to understand the motive behind this arsonist activity,” he added.
The second farmer, Mrs. Judith Mulupi narrated how fire, whose source they attribute to magic and superstition, reduced their two acres of sugarcane to ashes hardly after two boys hired to the farm had began cutting down the canes.
“The boys raised alarm by screaming, thereby attracting villagers, whose combine efforts, however, failed to put out the fire,” recalled Mrs. Mulupi, who added that the couple’s effort to salvage the canes by employing extra youths to slash down was also futile, alleging cane-cutters’ pangas mysteriously disappeared from their hands.
Mrs Mulupi expressed her dismay over the incident, considering the fact she was counting on proceeds from the cane to enable her pay fees for children, besides footing costs for household items.
A similar script was told by a third farmer, Mrs. Joan Kageha, who was still yet to come to terms after losing her one acre cane farm to fire whose cause was yet to be unearthed.
“It’s a horrifying incident, when you try put off the fire by pouring water on it, the water bounces back at you and after a while you see a human like red-hot object running away from you as it spreads the fire across the plantation,” explained shocked Ms. Evelyn Mabonga.
Area residents, led by Lwandeti Location Chief, Francis Lumbasi, have expressed shock over the fire incidents, which they allege have consumed an estimated 25 acres of sugarcane farm between Friday 4th March, 2016 and Wednesday March 9, 2016.
“In fact my subjects who have sugarcane are holding their breath wondering whose farm will be next,” said the chief.
