Ngozi demands second top-up

THE avenging spirit of a man who was allegedly murdered by his lover's brother almost 50 years ago is wreaking havoc in his killer's family, demanding two more beasts as compensation after the 26 initially paid in the past.

The spirit of Chizemo is reportedly venting its anger on the Mashairenyi family in Mutambara, Chimanimani, following his grisly murder by Erick Mashairenyi.

When he appeared before Chief Mutambara's court last week on Saturday, Mashairenyi confirmed that he, together with his friend only identified as Musoni, murdered Chizemo in 1974 after discovering that he was in love with his (Mashairenyi)'s sister.

According to Mashairenyi, the avenging spirit was appeased in the 1980s when he handed over 18 beasts to the Chizemos.

This, however, was after the then Chief Mutambara, the late Sam Mutambara, had instructed him to do so, and not the avenging spirit.

"The then chief ruled that I compensate the avenging spirit with 18 beasts. By then, the spirit was not yet wreaking havoc in my family. I followed the chief's instructions hoping that the deceased's spirit would not haunt me, but I was wrong," said Mashairenyi.

Mashairenyi's son, Tapuwa, said when the avenging spirit began manifesting in the 1990s, his father developed a mental illness and left home to stay on the streets.

"We did not think that it was Chizemo's spirit affecting him as we had already appeased it. We finally discovered that Chizemo's avenging spirit was behind my father's mental illness in 2009 when the spirit demanded eight more beasts.

When the top-up was done, Mashairenyi recovered from the mental illness.

But twelve years later, the avenging spirit has begun making fresh demands of two more beasts.

The avenging spirit is also saying some traditional cloths should be handed over to the Chizemos.

While the Musonis are yet to face the wrath of the avenging spirit, Tapuwa begged Chief Mutambara to summon them so that they will pay the other beast to the Chizemos considering that the Mashairenyis have done the bulk of the compensations.

"Musoni died a long time ago and his children are not being tormented by Chizemo's avenging spirit. It is just targeting us. The Musonis are so violent and we are afraid of approaching them. We have lost all our cattle in trying to appease Chizemo's avenging spirit," said Tapuwa.

But Chief Mutambara ordered the Mashairenyis to engage the Musonis and chart a way forward on how to appease the avenging spirit.  Tapuwa pointed out that the Chizemos did not perform rituals to appease the deceased's spirit when they received the compensation, hence the continued wrath of the spirit.

He said his marriages are not lasting and blamed it on the avenging spirit.

But the deceased's daughter, Sarah Chizemo, said Tapuwa's troubled relationships are not a result of her father's avenging spirit.

"He has had six wives and all of them left because of his womanising antics. Have you ever heard of an avenging spirit that causes promiscuity? They should just pay up what they owe our family and not beat about the bush.

"Why would we accept our father's spirit back into the family when they haven't paid everything to us? We need what is due to us before conducting the rituals.

"Mashairenyi and his friend killed my father and I grew up without a father. I should have been a teacher leading a good life, but I failed to do so because there was no one to support my dream," she said.