Kezi Chief decries tsikamutanda menace

CHIEF Nyangazonke of Kezi, Matabeleland South has said self-proclaimed witch-hunters commonly known as tsikamutanda are causing havoc in his area as they are allegedly demanding livestock from villagers whom they accuse of practising witchcraft.

The chief said the witch-hunters' conduct was breeding disharmony in his area.

"I really wonder why people continue to tolerate this form of daylight robbery. The problem is that during the day in meetings we agree that witch hunters are not welcome. However, some influential locals and opinion leaders sometimes go Nicodemously to invite these tsikamutanda who come and camp in our midst and end up giving us problems. These people only bring disharmony into our communities. But they don't just come, locals bring them here," said the chief in an interview.

Chief Nyangazonke said the dubious faith healers target members of the community who are well-off and accuse them of witchcraft in order to fleece them.

"As Africans, we never want to acknowledge personal failure in life and always choose to hide behind witchcraft. At any given time, someone has to be identified and labelled as the one that is bewitching another and causing their misfortune. That is the mindset that needs to be changed," he said.

Some villagers who spoke to The Chronicle in Kezi said they were being forced to attend witch-hunting sessions by some local leaders whom they declined to name.

"We are being forced to attend the tsikamutanda witch-hunting ceremonies by our local leaders. I lost two cattle while my neighbour lost his biggest ox and two donkeys after we were accused of possessing goblins. These same people (local leaders) pretend to the chief that they are against witch hunters," said a villager on condition of anonymity.

Late last year, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said Government does not condone witch-hunting practices that have become rampant in some parts of the country.

Dr Mushohwe said during a Cabinet meeting, a decision pronouncing these rampant activities as criminal, fraudulent and extortionist was reached.

"Cabinet noted with much regret and concern that a significant part of traditional leaders embracing Chiefs, headmen and village heads are by commission or omission condoning this evil, primitive, extortionist and illegal practice that is condemned by our national laws.

"Furthermore, the unscrupulous perpetrators and accomplices of witch-hunting have misrepresented to communities claiming that they had been permitted by Government authorities to carry out the illegal activity," he said. Dr Mushohwe said Government was calling upon anyone who might have fallen victim to the witch-hunters to report the matter to the law enforcement agencies so that the culprits would be brought to book and compensation paid.