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Herbal libido boosters taking over Harare's streets
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Gogo Rasta* has become a popular figure on Harare central business district's bustling downtown streets where she sells small sachets of traditional herbs.
The self-styled herbalist, who refused to disclose her real name and age, operates in one of the busiest sections of the CBD at the intersection of Mbuya Nehanda and Robert Mugabe streets.
Gogo Rasta has a makeshift stall made of cardboard boxes where she spreads her clearly labelled merchandise to attract buyers on the busy streets.
Most of her clients are men searching for libido boosters that are used for treatment of erectile dysfunction that have become a hit in Zimbabwe's urban areas.
Gogo Rasta, who claimed to have been selling sex-enhancing herbs in Harare for over a decade, said she moved her business to the streets four years ago in response to rising demand.
"I have been selling herbs for over 10 years, but selling from town, I started four years ago after realising that this is where the market is," she said.
"Most of my male clients are looking for herbs that enhance sexual performance, sperm quality, and the herbal combination we call system cleaner."
Some of her fast-moving products include those derived from the mugondorosi tree, which is scientifically known as Lannea discolor and is native to Zimbabwe's dry forests.
A middle aged woman, who had a makeshift stall on the same street as Gogo Rasta, said she sourced the herbs on her own and packages them for sale at US$1 per sachet.
"I source these on my own, grind them, and sell most of them at the modest price of a dollar to men of all ages," the self-taught herbalist said.
Traditionalists believe that the mugondorosi tree's barks and roots have medicinal properties that help to restore sexual vitality without many side effects associated with modern medicine.
Conservationists say the tree is now facing extinction in Zimbabwe due to overharvesting by people using its roots and barks for commercial purposes due to its known properties as a potent aphrodisiac.
Booming business
An investigation revealed that Gogo Rasta's line of business is becoming saturated in the capital's busy streets as most of the vendors' primary trade is now the sale of traditional libido enhancers.
As early as 10 AM, scores of vendors could be seen lining along Mbuya Nehanda Street between Bank Street and Speke Avenue where they displayed the sachets of herbal powders, mostly selling for US$1 each.
Their numbers increased towards dusk, as the vendors virtually occupied almost every corner of the street.
Men of all ages navigated the crowded streets, some openly purchasing their remedies, while others darted in and out, casting nervous glances over their shoulders, seemingly wanting the products but avoiding being noticed.
"It's my regular spot where I come to get herbs to ‘clean my system' and, of course, boost the fire in the bedroom," said one of the buyers who refused to be identified.
The growing popularity of traditional libido boosters has been linked to the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among Zimbabwean men. Some research shows that 80 percent of men in the country have suffered erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives.
According to the Men's Clinic, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Zimbabwe is estimated at 60 percent, but the majority of men suffering from it are uncomfortable to disclose their problems.
A 2018 article in the Texila International Journal of Public Health by Vasco Chikwasha and Pasipanodya Machingura from the University of Zimbabwe's school of medicine titled Erectile dysfunction among diabetic patients at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe, said the problem was very prevalent among diabetic patients.
The researchers said they found out that the prevalence rate among diabetic patients at the hospital was as high as 73.9 percent.
They said erectile dysfunction was associated with "older age, higher systolic blood pressure and being on antihypertensive drugs."
Globally, it is estimated that at least 52 percent of men have suffered from erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation problems.
Sekuru Shumba, a herbalist operating from a market stall at the Charge Office bus terminus close to the Harare Central Police Station, claimed that his client list included prominent people in the city.
Shumba attributed the increasing demand for traditional libido boosters to the prevalence of lifestyle diseases and the poor economic situation, which makes healthcare unaffordable for the majority of Zimbabweans.
"Many people are going the traditional route because here we deal with the problem directly unlike at hospitals where there are a lot of costly tests involved," he said. "I deal with a diverse type of people from the young to the old, and even some prominent people in government."
Poor lifestyles
Lovemore Chishamba, a men's rights activist and traditionalist said problems such as premature ejaculation, low sperm count, reduced sex drive and erectile dysfunction were largely caused by poor lifestyles.
Chishamba said there were also other medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney diseases as well as stress, which cause erectile dysfunction.
He said some Zimbabwean men were resorting to herbs because of socialisation as they saw their fathers using them when growing up.
"Some men have tried synthetic medicines, but did not get any joy and this is why they look back to how their elders lived," said Chishamba, who is also a herbalist.
"When a man fails in his bedroom duties, his ego is bruised. Men start comparing themselves with those from the past generations.
"I think that's how people start tracing their footsteps and looking at herbs as a solution."
George Kandiero, the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) president, attributed the high prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Zimbabwe to poor diets.
Kandiero said while erectile dysfunction was a widespread health problem, some men were using traditional herbs for experimentation purposes.
"Some of the problems are caused by the food we eat," he said. "Some men are just looking for excitement. The herbs differ as some are for ‘servicing' (detoxifying) the body like we do for cars.
"Sometimes people do not just need an aphrodisiac, but they must detoxify. "Men do not menstruate like women and this means that toxins build up in their bodies and there are herbs that help to clean the system."
Kandiero, however, warned that some of the herbs being sold on the streets were fake and could pose serious health risks.
"In any sector, there are fraudsters looking to make a quick buck," he said.
"That's why we urge people to get aphrodisiacs from registered practitioners.
"Right now, if you go to the bus terminus, people sell a cup for a dollar - you drink it there. But if something goes wrong, where do you report?
"The public must be educated to use approved remedies because serious side effects can occur."
55 000 traditional healers, herbalists
Some of the street herbalists said they could not afford the $100 ZINATHA registration fees. Zimbabwe has 55 000 traditional healers and herbalists registered with ZINATHA.
Traditional healers and herbalists are also required to register with the Traditional Medicine Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe for them to be able to practice legally.
The herbs must also be approved by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), but many operate without approval citing long procedures and numerous requirements, including fees.
MCAZ spokesperson Davison Kaiyo said while the sale of traditional medicine was allowed in Zimbabwe, those who distribute it on a commercial scale must get approval from the authority.
"The MCAZ oversees the statutory instrument on complementary medicines (SI 97 of 2015), which exempts individuals who compound, dispense, or administer complementary medicine to their patients as part of their professional practice at their own premises," Kaiyo said.
"Therefore, traditional medicine may be used by traditional healers within their scope of practice while working with patients at their own place of work.
"If an individual chooses to commercialise and distribute their products to the public, these products must first be evaluated by MCAZ to ensure safety and quality."
Mbongeni Ndlovu, a specialist physician, said the danger with most herbs sold on the streets was that they were not scientifically tested and the doses were not measured, which could lead to health complications for those using them.
"There is no doubt that there are some herbs which work and our ancestors knew about them, but now the issue is that they are not measured," Ndlovu said.
"We are living in different conditions and for example people with diabetes and high blood pressure are prone to kidney problems.
"So, you give somebody those herbs and there is no dose, it's not measured, you will get complications.
"Ideally you want to know the dosage you are giving a person whether its grams, milligrams, and you want to know how their body will process them and any adverse effects thereof."
He said research in Zimbabwe showed that herbs were the major causes of liver failure in patients because of the unregulated dosages.
Ndlovu said the street herbalists could also be mixing their herbs with conventional drugs such as Viagra, which meant that there was a high risk of over dosage.
"There are some people that cheat, especially with the liquid substances," he said.
"They go and get the actual Viagra and dissolve it and mix with their herbs.
"So, you can never be able to trust and know exactly what you need are taking."
Ndlovu called for more research into traditional libido enhances and public education to protect public health.
Deadly encounters
There are several of Zimbabwean men that have died after taking unregulated libido enhancers.
Last year four men from Marange near Mutare died and two others were hospitalised after they drank a concoction made from the aloe vera plant.
Witnesses said the men were trying to make guchu/imbiza, which they believed cleanses the system and opens blood vessels for better erectile functions for men.
Also last year, a former police superintendent Francis Matsika (57) died of suspected overdose in sex enhancement concoction just after a sexual encounter with his Chitungwiza girlfriend.
Matsika's girlfriend Blessing Zuva (45) told detectives at the time that the deceased had arrived at her residence with a plastic bag containing 10 litres of cooking oil and one pint of milk.
He instructed her to mix one pint of milk with salt before they had sexual intercourse as he was suffering from erectile dysfunction. Matsika started gasping for air soon after they had sex for the second time and died within minutes.
The self-styled herbalist, who refused to disclose her real name and age, operates in one of the busiest sections of the CBD at the intersection of Mbuya Nehanda and Robert Mugabe streets.
Gogo Rasta has a makeshift stall made of cardboard boxes where she spreads her clearly labelled merchandise to attract buyers on the busy streets.
Most of her clients are men searching for libido boosters that are used for treatment of erectile dysfunction that have become a hit in Zimbabwe's urban areas.
Gogo Rasta, who claimed to have been selling sex-enhancing herbs in Harare for over a decade, said she moved her business to the streets four years ago in response to rising demand.
"I have been selling herbs for over 10 years, but selling from town, I started four years ago after realising that this is where the market is," she said.
"Most of my male clients are looking for herbs that enhance sexual performance, sperm quality, and the herbal combination we call system cleaner."
Some of her fast-moving products include those derived from the mugondorosi tree, which is scientifically known as Lannea discolor and is native to Zimbabwe's dry forests.
A middle aged woman, who had a makeshift stall on the same street as Gogo Rasta, said she sourced the herbs on her own and packages them for sale at US$1 per sachet.
"I source these on my own, grind them, and sell most of them at the modest price of a dollar to men of all ages," the self-taught herbalist said.
Traditionalists believe that the mugondorosi tree's barks and roots have medicinal properties that help to restore sexual vitality without many side effects associated with modern medicine.
Conservationists say the tree is now facing extinction in Zimbabwe due to overharvesting by people using its roots and barks for commercial purposes due to its known properties as a potent aphrodisiac.
Booming business
An investigation revealed that Gogo Rasta's line of business is becoming saturated in the capital's busy streets as most of the vendors' primary trade is now the sale of traditional libido enhancers.
As early as 10 AM, scores of vendors could be seen lining along Mbuya Nehanda Street between Bank Street and Speke Avenue where they displayed the sachets of herbal powders, mostly selling for US$1 each.
Their numbers increased towards dusk, as the vendors virtually occupied almost every corner of the street.
Men of all ages navigated the crowded streets, some openly purchasing their remedies, while others darted in and out, casting nervous glances over their shoulders, seemingly wanting the products but avoiding being noticed.
"It's my regular spot where I come to get herbs to ‘clean my system' and, of course, boost the fire in the bedroom," said one of the buyers who refused to be identified.
The growing popularity of traditional libido boosters has been linked to the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among Zimbabwean men. Some research shows that 80 percent of men in the country have suffered erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives.
According to the Men's Clinic, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Zimbabwe is estimated at 60 percent, but the majority of men suffering from it are uncomfortable to disclose their problems.
A 2018 article in the Texila International Journal of Public Health by Vasco Chikwasha and Pasipanodya Machingura from the University of Zimbabwe's school of medicine titled Erectile dysfunction among diabetic patients at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe, said the problem was very prevalent among diabetic patients.
The researchers said they found out that the prevalence rate among diabetic patients at the hospital was as high as 73.9 percent.
They said erectile dysfunction was associated with "older age, higher systolic blood pressure and being on antihypertensive drugs."
Globally, it is estimated that at least 52 percent of men have suffered from erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation problems.
Sekuru Shumba, a herbalist operating from a market stall at the Charge Office bus terminus close to the Harare Central Police Station, claimed that his client list included prominent people in the city.
Shumba attributed the increasing demand for traditional libido boosters to the prevalence of lifestyle diseases and the poor economic situation, which makes healthcare unaffordable for the majority of Zimbabweans.
"Many people are going the traditional route because here we deal with the problem directly unlike at hospitals where there are a lot of costly tests involved," he said. "I deal with a diverse type of people from the young to the old, and even some prominent people in government."
Poor lifestyles
Lovemore Chishamba, a men's rights activist and traditionalist said problems such as premature ejaculation, low sperm count, reduced sex drive and erectile dysfunction were largely caused by poor lifestyles.
Chishamba said there were also other medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney diseases as well as stress, which cause erectile dysfunction.
He said some Zimbabwean men were resorting to herbs because of socialisation as they saw their fathers using them when growing up.
"Some men have tried synthetic medicines, but did not get any joy and this is why they look back to how their elders lived," said Chishamba, who is also a herbalist.
"When a man fails in his bedroom duties, his ego is bruised. Men start comparing themselves with those from the past generations.
"I think that's how people start tracing their footsteps and looking at herbs as a solution."
George Kandiero, the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) president, attributed the high prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Zimbabwe to poor diets.
Kandiero said while erectile dysfunction was a widespread health problem, some men were using traditional herbs for experimentation purposes.
"Some of the problems are caused by the food we eat," he said. "Some men are just looking for excitement. The herbs differ as some are for ‘servicing' (detoxifying) the body like we do for cars.
"Sometimes people do not just need an aphrodisiac, but they must detoxify. "Men do not menstruate like women and this means that toxins build up in their bodies and there are herbs that help to clean the system."
Kandiero, however, warned that some of the herbs being sold on the streets were fake and could pose serious health risks.
"In any sector, there are fraudsters looking to make a quick buck," he said.
"That's why we urge people to get aphrodisiacs from registered practitioners.
"Right now, if you go to the bus terminus, people sell a cup for a dollar - you drink it there. But if something goes wrong, where do you report?
"The public must be educated to use approved remedies because serious side effects can occur."
55 000 traditional healers, herbalists
Some of the street herbalists said they could not afford the $100 ZINATHA registration fees. Zimbabwe has 55 000 traditional healers and herbalists registered with ZINATHA.
Traditional healers and herbalists are also required to register with the Traditional Medicine Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe for them to be able to practice legally.
The herbs must also be approved by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ), but many operate without approval citing long procedures and numerous requirements, including fees.
MCAZ spokesperson Davison Kaiyo said while the sale of traditional medicine was allowed in Zimbabwe, those who distribute it on a commercial scale must get approval from the authority.
"The MCAZ oversees the statutory instrument on complementary medicines (SI 97 of 2015), which exempts individuals who compound, dispense, or administer complementary medicine to their patients as part of their professional practice at their own premises," Kaiyo said.
"Therefore, traditional medicine may be used by traditional healers within their scope of practice while working with patients at their own place of work.
"If an individual chooses to commercialise and distribute their products to the public, these products must first be evaluated by MCAZ to ensure safety and quality."
Mbongeni Ndlovu, a specialist physician, said the danger with most herbs sold on the streets was that they were not scientifically tested and the doses were not measured, which could lead to health complications for those using them.
"There is no doubt that there are some herbs which work and our ancestors knew about them, but now the issue is that they are not measured," Ndlovu said.
"We are living in different conditions and for example people with diabetes and high blood pressure are prone to kidney problems.
"So, you give somebody those herbs and there is no dose, it's not measured, you will get complications.
"Ideally you want to know the dosage you are giving a person whether its grams, milligrams, and you want to know how their body will process them and any adverse effects thereof."
He said research in Zimbabwe showed that herbs were the major causes of liver failure in patients because of the unregulated dosages.
Ndlovu said the street herbalists could also be mixing their herbs with conventional drugs such as Viagra, which meant that there was a high risk of over dosage.
"There are some people that cheat, especially with the liquid substances," he said.
"They go and get the actual Viagra and dissolve it and mix with their herbs.
"So, you can never be able to trust and know exactly what you need are taking."
Ndlovu called for more research into traditional libido enhances and public education to protect public health.
Deadly encounters
There are several of Zimbabwean men that have died after taking unregulated libido enhancers.
Last year four men from Marange near Mutare died and two others were hospitalised after they drank a concoction made from the aloe vera plant.
Witnesses said the men were trying to make guchu/imbiza, which they believed cleanses the system and opens blood vessels for better erectile functions for men.
Also last year, a former police superintendent Francis Matsika (57) died of suspected overdose in sex enhancement concoction just after a sexual encounter with his Chitungwiza girlfriend.
Matsika's girlfriend Blessing Zuva (45) told detectives at the time that the deceased had arrived at her residence with a plastic bag containing 10 litres of cooking oil and one pint of milk.
He instructed her to mix one pint of milk with salt before they had sexual intercourse as he was suffering from erectile dysfunction. Matsika started gasping for air soon after they had sex for the second time and died within minutes.
Source - Cite
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