News / National
Council fells Mbuya Nehanda myth tree
08 Dec 2011 at 05:57hrs | Views
THE tree where legendary spirit medium and First Chimurenga heroine Mbuya Nehanda was reportedly hanged by white settlers was yesterday hacked down by City of Harare workers.
Myths and legend surrounded the tree where another spirit medium and hero Sekuru Kaguvi is believed to have been hanged on the same day with Mbuya Nehanda on April 27, 1898.
The city employees were repairing the tarmac at the corner of Josiah Tongogara Avenue and Sam Nujoma Street when they brought down the Msasa tree that stood in the middle of the road.
Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi said he passed through the place after the tree was destroyed, but was waiting for a report on what transpired.
Witnesses said the front loader tipper the council workers were using accidentally brought down the tree as it was being reversed.
A vendor, Luckmore Katsende said: "They ran away probably after knowing the myth associated with this tree. For the five years that I have been selling my wares at this place, I have witnessed a lot.
"I have witnessed two occasions when cars crushed onto the tree with the vehicles getting damaged, but the tree being left intact as if nothing happened."
Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi were tried by the white authorities at the Old French South Africa Company Building that was demolished to make way for the new 26-storey headquarters of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
After the trial, some historians say the two were taken to the tree where they were hanged.
Myths and legend surrounded the tree where another spirit medium and hero Sekuru Kaguvi is believed to have been hanged on the same day with Mbuya Nehanda on April 27, 1898.
The city employees were repairing the tarmac at the corner of Josiah Tongogara Avenue and Sam Nujoma Street when they brought down the Msasa tree that stood in the middle of the road.
Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi said he passed through the place after the tree was destroyed, but was waiting for a report on what transpired.
Witnesses said the front loader tipper the council workers were using accidentally brought down the tree as it was being reversed.
A vendor, Luckmore Katsende said: "They ran away probably after knowing the myth associated with this tree. For the five years that I have been selling my wares at this place, I have witnessed a lot.
"I have witnessed two occasions when cars crushed onto the tree with the vehicles getting damaged, but the tree being left intact as if nothing happened."
Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi were tried by the white authorities at the Old French South Africa Company Building that was demolished to make way for the new 26-storey headquarters of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
After the trial, some historians say the two were taken to the tree where they were hanged.
Source - TH
