News / National
Village head forces villagers to pay rain-making tax of $2 each
25 Oct 2015 at 07:19hrs | Views
A VILLAGE head in Chief Neshuro's area in Mwenezi, Masvingo Province, has come under fire for allegedly forcing villagers pay rain-making tax of $2 each.
The money was supposed to be paid in the month of September before the ceremony is conducted in October. Village head Gibson Choga of Ward Three threatened to punish all those who fail to pay the tax and summon them to Headman Mawarire's traditional court.
Villagers, most of whom are Christians, are opposed to the tax as they feel that the practice is against their beliefs but the village head has declared that "no one is exempted from paying the rain tax as those who resist risk being expelled from the village".
A member of Johane Masowe weChishanu Apostolic sect, Mr Tinos Mukotose, said what the village head was demanding did not make any sense given the fact that the church does not force non-members to pray and fast for the rains.
"There should not be a tax for the rains, the rains fall from heaven when God has decided. No man can make rain but we are not against those who believe in the practice. We are only concerned when they start to force us to pay for something we do not believe in," said Mr Mukotose.
Rosemary Chigadzi, a fellow villager, said traditional leadership in the area was fleecing villagers of their hard-earned income under the guise of rain-making ceremonies yet the supposed rainmaker is supposed to walk on foot to speak to the Njelele spirits in the Matobo Hills in Matabeleland south.
She said the rainmaker should rely on wild fruits as it is part of the practice, not to board buses or any form of transport. She attributed the demand for money to the traditional leaders' greediness.
"Years back, the issue of rainmakers was not taken the way it is today. This is why we are no longer getting the rains. The rainmaker would walk to the Matobo Hills and survive on wild fruits on the way without the use of transport. This is the headman's tactic of depriving villagers of their money," said Chigadzi.
Village Head Choga said a few villagers have taken heed to the order.
"Yes I can confirm that there is money, $2 per household paid for the rain-making ceremony to be conducted this month.
"However, most villagers apart from elders who understand what it means are resisting. There is nothing amiss, it is a directive from the headman," said village head Choga.
Chief Neshuro could not be reached for comment but his counterpart Chief Maranda of Mwenezi said there was nothing wrong with asking villagers to contribute towards rainmaking ceremonies.
"This should be once off payment when it has been realised that the heavens have remained stingy with the rains.
"Villagers should know that areas and chiefs are what they are because of traditions; that is our identity as African people," said Chief Maranda.
He, however, said different chiefs had their own way of doing things. "It varies from area to area," he said.
The money was supposed to be paid in the month of September before the ceremony is conducted in October. Village head Gibson Choga of Ward Three threatened to punish all those who fail to pay the tax and summon them to Headman Mawarire's traditional court.
Villagers, most of whom are Christians, are opposed to the tax as they feel that the practice is against their beliefs but the village head has declared that "no one is exempted from paying the rain tax as those who resist risk being expelled from the village".
A member of Johane Masowe weChishanu Apostolic sect, Mr Tinos Mukotose, said what the village head was demanding did not make any sense given the fact that the church does not force non-members to pray and fast for the rains.
"There should not be a tax for the rains, the rains fall from heaven when God has decided. No man can make rain but we are not against those who believe in the practice. We are only concerned when they start to force us to pay for something we do not believe in," said Mr Mukotose.
Rosemary Chigadzi, a fellow villager, said traditional leadership in the area was fleecing villagers of their hard-earned income under the guise of rain-making ceremonies yet the supposed rainmaker is supposed to walk on foot to speak to the Njelele spirits in the Matobo Hills in Matabeleland south.
She said the rainmaker should rely on wild fruits as it is part of the practice, not to board buses or any form of transport. She attributed the demand for money to the traditional leaders' greediness.
"Years back, the issue of rainmakers was not taken the way it is today. This is why we are no longer getting the rains. The rainmaker would walk to the Matobo Hills and survive on wild fruits on the way without the use of transport. This is the headman's tactic of depriving villagers of their money," said Chigadzi.
Village Head Choga said a few villagers have taken heed to the order.
"Yes I can confirm that there is money, $2 per household paid for the rain-making ceremony to be conducted this month.
"However, most villagers apart from elders who understand what it means are resisting. There is nothing amiss, it is a directive from the headman," said village head Choga.
Chief Neshuro could not be reached for comment but his counterpart Chief Maranda of Mwenezi said there was nothing wrong with asking villagers to contribute towards rainmaking ceremonies.
"This should be once off payment when it has been realised that the heavens have remained stingy with the rains.
"Villagers should know that areas and chiefs are what they are because of traditions; that is our identity as African people," said Chief Maranda.
He, however, said different chiefs had their own way of doing things. "It varies from area to area," he said.
Source - sundaynews
