Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries Prophet Walter Magaya’s upmarket Yadah Hotel in Waterfalls suburb went up n smokes on Thursday night, destroying the western top section.
While details around the fire were still sketchy late Thursday, videos and pictures of the hotel that has become the symbol of the self-styled prophet’s newfound wealth went viral on social media.
Reports so far have established that no one was injured.
A witness who spoke to the Herald said the fire started after 5 pm and firefighters arrived after about 45 minutes and extinguished the fire.
Police confirmed the incident, but could not give the finer details as investigations were still underway.
Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said more details would be made available after investigations.
“Yes, we have received reports of the fire incident at a hotel in Waterfalls. Investigations are still underway,” he said.
The extent of damage could not be ascertained, but insiders said they suspected foul play since the area was under load-shedding at the time.
Admire Simango, PHD spokesman Overseer told local media that they are “smelling a rat”.
“Around 5:30 pm, I received a call that there was a raging fire at the hotel. I contacted security people on the ground on what had happened, but they seemed not to be aware of everything that was happening,” he said.
Overseer Simango said the fire started in the upper room of the hotel on the western side and destroyed beds.
“What is very strange in the circumstances is that there was no electricity as usual. I am told the generator was off, but there was a fire from nowhere. While I am not pointing to anything, we are smelling a rat. It is very clear; the circumstances are not normal given the fact that there was no electricity or gas nearby.
We do not rule out foul play. Police are investigating, and we do not want to jump to conclusions. The police will give us the full information, but the preliminary findings point to the fact that there could be some foul play and we are very suspicious of whatever is happening given the events of the last few days. We can tell that there is an underhand thing that is happening,” he said.
Prophet Magaya, who was said to be on his way to Abu Dhabi, was reportedly unperturbed by the incident.
“The man of God is in a jovial mood, nothing is going to disturb the ministry and the upcoming event in Botswana. The man of God has taught us that when the enemy comes like a flood, the Lord raises his bar,” said Simango.
He said the hotel would continue to operate normally, although the gutted section will be closed for renovations.
Yadah Hotel opened its doors to the public in 2017 and hosted some famous guests, including the senior men’s national football team. It hosts overseas visitors to Prophet Magaya‘s church every week, features expensive hand-selected materials and finishings and is bedecked with imported ornaments.
The fire comes virtually a week after a Harare couple — Godfrey and Molly Maenzanise — claimed Prophet Magaya raped and sired a child with their daughter but was now playing hard to get regarding a promise he had made to take care of the four-year-old.
The alleged victim later recorded a video with her husband, accusing her parents of lying and trying to extort money from Magaya whose church attracts several thousand every week.
The woman‘s video has not calmed internet demands for people to march on Magaya‘s church in protest.
Investigators will be looking to establish if the fire is in any way connected to those behind the internet lobby.
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