Nkosentsha Khumalo
Controversy has erupted in Matabeleland South Province surrounding the operation of Witch hunters commonly known as ‘Tsikamutandas’.
On one hand some traditional leaders are said to have permitted these Tsikamutandas to operate and perform ritual activities in the villages so as to exorcise goblins and evils spirits, and on the other hand other Chiefs have condemned such actions to an extent of seeking intervention from the government to take stern measures against such practices.
Tsikamutandas are reportedly wreaking havoc in Matabeleland South province, especially in Filabusi Area, where they are paid with goats and other livestock after ‘cleansing’ villagers of evil spirits.
In Ward 14 of Ndiweni village, Kezi, a couple is said to have summoned a witch hunter from Karoi in Hurungwe to perform a ceremony at their homestead after it (the couple) had been told that the husband, one Ustance Bajila (seka Marsh) who is seventy two years of age was being drained blood and sleeping with a python disguised as his wife.
In her defense Bajila’s wife then sought the services and assistance of a Tsikamutanda popularly known as Booster whose real name is Lloyd Chimanya (32) from Hurungwe in Karoi to cast out the evil spirits tormenting their homestead.
This did not go well with the Chief of the jurisdiction as Tsikamutanda Booster was summoned to a community court by Chief Nyangazonke, to explain his activities of illegally operating in the area.
During court proceedings, the witch hunter from Mashonaland West Province revealed that he has been mostly welcome and operating in other areas especially at Chief Mathe of Gwanda to ‘cleanse’ villagers of evil spirits and perfom rituals.
Booster, Lloyd Chimanya of Hurungwe in Karoi, under Chief Kazangarare explained to the community court in Matabeleland South that he has been operating in Chief Mathe’s ward 12 of Gwanda, and was welcomed by village heads and police officers while performing his rituals in the villages as far back as 2019 when Covid-19 escalated.
Having been contacted, Chief Ketso Mathe of Gwanda acknowledged permitting Tsikamutandas to perform ‘cleansing’ ceremonies and rituals in the villages under her jurisdiction as long as her subjects consented.
“I do not recall any Tsikamutanda by the name of Booster but I do allow the Tsikamutandas to perfom rituals in the villages especially if that Tsikamutanda was summoned by a villager under my hand, I would allow them to go and perform the rituals at their particular homestead,” Mathe said.
“Tsikamutandas also have their own rights and also do the villagers. If the villagers want to summon Tsikamutandas to cleanse away evil spirits at their homesteads, then who am I to stop them?”
Mathe said she allows Tsikamutandas to operate freely at the homesteads and assist villagers, stating that villagers are free to reward them in any form of livestocks they deem fit.
Meanwhile, other traditional leaders in Matabeleland South condemned the act of summoning Tsikamutandas in the villages claiming that some of these ritual performers are thieves and further calling on the government to enact certain measures to curb such kind of actions.
Chief Khulumani Mathema of Gwanda North said summoning Tsikamutandas in villages causes divisions amongst families and villagers.
“You find that those kind of rituals by Tsikamutandas cause huge division amongst villagers as you find some refusing to go and seek assistance in the form of food and other neccesities at a certain homestead that was cleansed of snakes and other evil spirits,” Mathema said.
“The government must take a stern measure to sentence those people that partake in such kind of activities, as well as the chiefs who allow such kind of activities to prevail.”
Mathema said his chief’s’ officers have been working tirelessly to bring those Tsikamutandas responsible for witchcraft activities to justice and protecting villagers of being robbed of their livestocks.
“My officer in charge and other chiefs’ officers have been offering substantial support in arresting those Tsikamutandas and reporting matters where those people are seen in the villages. Matters, however, go beyond my control in the evening where we do not notice those villagers who sneak Tsikamutandas into their homesteads.”
Chief Ndiweni Nyangazonke of Kezi said the government should deploy many chiefs’ police officers to curb those kind of scenarios where Tsikamutandas invade villages unannounced.
“Strangers who parade villages unannounced should be rightfully reported and they should also inform the Chief as there happens to be an upsurge in cases of raping women, sleeping with other men’s wives and witchcraft when Tsikamutandas parade villages,” Nyangazonke said.
Nyangazonke said some police officers are somehow involved in conniving with the Tsikamutandas as they are the ones responsible for clearing the livestocks that might have been raided and robbed from villagers.
He said the government needs to take an active role in addressing the issue of Tsikamutandas who deserve to be jailed as they have also recruited other law enforcers to benefit from their shady dealings.
In the past years, Zim GBC News carried a story from Majiji area of Bubi district where a Tsikamutanda was chased away after being discovered that he was ‘discovering’ the same dead snake from different homesteads.
Another got away with a bucket full of coins of different currencies. There were South African Rands, British Sterling coins, old Rhodisia coins.
Some of these coins have a significant value when presented to coin collectors.
Zim GBC News ©2024