The ManicaPost
Shame Isaki Post Correspondent
Several reports of the so-called Tsikamutanda’s misdemeanor have been brought forward and the generality of the citizenry has expressed utter disgust and dismay. The Tsikamutanda ‘phenomena’ dates back to a few years but despite the public’s outcry these people are still found to be operating within our communities. A few hours before I sat down to write this article, I received a call from a Headman based in one of the villages in Marange informing me that another Tsikamutanda had invaded his village.
So the guys are on a rampage and they are spreading fast like a veld fire. When the issue of Tsikamutandas began, communities fell for their tricks thinking that all their problems would be solved because they were said to be exposing ‘witches’ and ‘wizzards’, and at the same time bringing solutions to long standing disputes and mysterious happenings.
Unfortunately, unknown to our poor villagers they had made a very big mistake of accommodating these ravenous wolves in sheep skin. In our rich Shona language we say ‘Kusekerera n’anga neinobata mai’ and this is exactly what families in the rural areas have come face to face with. While it is true that every family has its own fair share of problems, it becomes worrisome when those who claim to have supernatural powers to solve these problems cause more problems by accusing family members and villagers of witchcraft. Such accusations have brought misery to many families and family bonds and ties have been broken following the Tsikamutanda’s pronouncements.
The family institution is sacred and anyone who destroys it is an enemy of society. How did people live in society before the coming of Tsikamutandas? We always have had traditional leaders and healers who would be approached with complex issues and they had a way of solving these issues without breaking families and impoverishing them.
Surprisingly all these so-called Tsikamutandas are just young men or boys who upon failing to make ends meet in life chose the unGodly path of acquiring goblins, witchcraft and other charms to begin to practise as healers and seers but unbeknown to them a witch can never change a witch. The solutions they claim to have are either fake or very temporary because how can young boys who need guidance themselves on life issues bring solutions to whole communities?
Jesus Christ in one of the scriptures asks ‘How can Satan fight Satan?’ and he says ‘A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand’ and this is true of Tsikamutandas, they are sons of the devil pretending to bring good to society and yet they are further entrenching their fathers. Societies are left worse off than they were before these con-artists came.
If they are not evil how can we explain the abduction and abuse of a school girl the whole night and I hope by now the culprit has been brought to book. They are raping our children but we are still accommodating them. They destroy families by false accusations but we still smile at them.
Families are left poorer without cattle or money but they are still left to roam free. They drink beer like there is no tomorrow and yet the villagers cannot afford a decent meal. They drive luxurious cars and yet our poor villagers are tracking long distances because they cannot afford bus fare.
We have some people who are walking to Mutare city from as far as Odzi, but they had cattle and goats which were illegally seized by Tsikamutandas. If rape, extortion, cattle rustling and accusing people of witchcraft do not constitute crimes then we don’t know what does.
Now it’s time for all the villagers who lost livestock, cash and any other property to Tsikamutandas to report to the police and these traditional leaders or village heads who have been clandestinely benefiting from the illegal operations of Tsikamutandas must also be named and shamed and brought to book. It’s a sad story because there are reports of well-known butchery operators or abattoirs who are now working hand in glove with these criminals providing ready market for the stolen cattle at very give away prices. Vanhu ngatinyare.
Mungazi mune mari shuwa muchibira vabereki mombe nembudzi dzavo? Enough of the Tsikamutandas nonsense. Police must act.
