Mbuya Nehanda's chilling Six Commandments

COMRADE Julian Maodza Murenga Mukomawashe, last week said things that have divided many Zimbabweans, regarding Mbuya Nehanda. That debate is still raging.

This week, Murenga continues this "stranger than fiction narration" to our team comprising Munyaradzi Huni and Tendai Manzvanzvike revealing six things that Mbuya Nehanda said should be done once the liberation struggle was over. Murenga almost choked with anger as he narrated how "these things have not been done," vowing that re-colonisation is a big possibility if Zimbabwe does not handle these issues properly.

The idea is really not to scare you dear readers, but Murenga says some stuff that leaves one sitting on the edge of the bed. Read on . . .

Murenga almost choked as he narrated to The Sunday Mail Deputy Editor, Munyaradzi Huni how the country has not followed what Mbuya Nehanda said before her death.

SM: Now, Comrade Murenga, let's continue with your narration. Tell us what happened before the freedom fighters arrived to meet Mbuya Nehanda.

Murenga: Yes, pane gadziriro yakagara yaitwa. This ritual was done at the end of 1971. There were other spirit mediums that used to stay with Nehanda Nyakasikana. Pane mhondoro dzainzi Chidyamauyu, Chipfeni, Chiodzamamera, Chinange, Chiwawa and Chinengabere. These spirit mediums met in 1971 and we were told about the coming war. Vakaudzwa kuti Mbuya vachazosimuka gore ramangwana vachienda kumhiri kwaZambezi vatakurwa nevasununguri veropa. After this these spirit mediums conducted a ritual and as a young boy I was not allowed to attend the rituals, but my father is the one vaitungamira these rituals nekuti zvese zviitwa padare raNehanda Nyakasikana, baba vangu ndivo vaitungamira. Baba vangu is the one who led the procession yekunosuma kugomo reMavhuradhonha. Vainosuma kunatateguru ainzi Nyatsimba Mutota kuguva rake. Vakaenda nehari yaiva nehwahwa mukati. Vaisuma kuti tichazosimudza hama yenyu kuenda kumhiri kwaZambezi. So they did all these things before the freedom fighters came.

SM: You told us that all this that you are telling us was recorded by your brother Godfrey Murenga. Some people may say you actually didn't witness this but you just read it and this account could all be a distortion, or exaggeration of what actually happened. What do you say?

Murenga: Yes, I know some will say that. Some who have heard me saying this believe me, others don't. I can't stop people from making their own conclusions. So when these spirit mediums and elders came back from Mavhuradhonha, I think it was around December 1971. When they came back, Nehanda Nyakasikana said tosangana gore rinouya iyezvino handichaita matare. At the beginning of 1972, that's when they continued the rituals. Three spirit mediums, Chiodzamamera, Chidyamauyu and Chipfeni came kudare kwaMbuya.

At that time, Chidyamauyu airwara akanga anemunhikwi. Akauya achitoda kurapwa ipapo. Nehanda Nyakasikana akavaudza kuti vasununguri veropa vaya vatova munzira kuuya kuzonditora. Kune vachatumwa kuuya kekutanga. Now let me explain something to you here. For these freedom fighters to decide to come to see Nehanda Nyakasikana, some spirit mediums in Zambia told Herbert Chitepo kuti hondo yawakagarira kuno kuKambiya haukwanisi kuti uikunde mukasaenda kunoona muchembere anonzi Nehanda Nyakasikana. Go and see her she will assist you on how to fight the war. That's how Chitepo later arranged that some comrades come to visit Nehanda Nyakasikana.

While this was happening, Nehanda Nyakasikana went for almost a month vachiramba kudya sadza. I am talking of sadza rezviyo, remhunga and mapfunde. Vairarama nemvura, nemawuyu, nehuchi chete. Huchi hwacho hwaisanganiswa nehupfu hwemhunga.

The spirit medium yaChipfeni yaigara kuMusengezi kuvillage yainzi Chimoio, not the one in Mazambuko. I am talking of Chimoio a village which was in Muzarabani unenge wabva mumusha waChadereka. Nearby there is a river called Hoya.

Now Rhodesian soldiers were giving Chipfeni a hard time because they had camped at an area called Gato, which today is known as Centenary. At one time, these soldiers took mhondoro iyaChipfeni asking him what role Nehanda Nyakasikana was playing in the preparation for the liberation struggle. Now Mudzimai wehomwe yaSekuru Chipfeni, was my sister. She came home and told my father what had happened. Sekuru Chipfeni was detained at Centenary for three days but what surprised the soldiers was that every morning, they would see him seated outside the locked prison. Vainge vakagara panze vakabata kakasha kefodya. On the third day, Sekuru Chipfeni told the soldiers kuti mandinyanyira. Pakaita chamupupuri and he disappeared. He was later found in Mbire. He came to see Nehanda Nyakasikana.

Nehanda Nyakasikana called my father and instructed him to go to the caves in Mavhuradhonha mountain kunotora tsvimbo yangu nekuti vakomana vatoyambuka. She meant that the freedom fighters had now started crossings Zambezi into Zimbabwe. She told my father that go also and take machira angu kumhiri kwaMusengezi. She said when I cross into Kambiya, pane dyira rangu rinofanirwa kusara kuno zvimwe zvese ndoenda nazvo.

Another ritual was held and while outside tainzwa Nehanda Nyakasikana achikarara vasvikirwa. Later that day, my father came home and told us that we should get ready because varwi veropa vava munzira.

After some days, my father was called, together with Chiweshe and other elders. They were told that the freedom fighters were about to arrive. Quite a number of comrades later came. Vakasvikira kwasabhuku Mazheru, wepamusha panonzi Tsokoto. From there they were taken kumba kwaigara Nehanda Nyakasikana.

SM: When the freedom fighters arrived, where you present?

Murenga: When the freedom fighters came I was at our house and before they arrived kwakanga kwaitwa matare that include masvikiro anoti, Chiodzamamera, Chipfeni and Chidyamauyu. They were told kuti vachafamba sei crossing into Zambia naNehanda Nyakasikana. These three spirit mediums also went kudziva randakataura where Nehanda Nyakasikana used to keep her belongings. They went there kunopira kuti tava kuda kusimuka naNehanda Nyakasikana.

In the evening, some elders were selected and they came up with a plan on how Nehanda Nyakasikana was to be carried as they went on this journey. Pakagadzirwa chinenge chimubhedha chine mapango maviri chine jira pakati, rinonzi banda. When all the rituals had been done, just as we were leaving kune nzvimbo inonzi Nyatswawo, mhepo yaNehanda yakataura kuti homwe yangu muri kuenda nayo kupi? Masuma here kuna baba vake, Mutota? Nehanda Nyakasikana repeated that hondo yamuri kutya haityisi. Dai makaita zvandakataura hondo yenyu yaiita masvondo matatu yobva yapera. I want to repeat this, Nehanda Nyakasikana said dai makatevedzera zvandakataura zvemapenny, hondo iyi yaiita masvondo matatu, zvino nenyaya yekuti hazvina kuitika, ichatora nguva.

SM: You mean the liberation struggle would have lasted just three weeks?

Murenga: Yes, she said and let me explain because she explained what she meant. Vakati vaida kutumira inonzi mhute, what you now call mist, kuti magandanga ndiwo chete aiona vavengi vasingaoni. That's what she said.

SM: Can you explain a bit about the entourage? Who are the people who were going naMbuya Nehanda?

Murenga: I was part of the team because I was the one with the responsibility to feed her and also because my father is the one who knew all the rituals that were supposed to be performed during the journey. She actually told my father that iwe hausari nekuti kana ndichikuona kumhepo, uri baba. Hakuna anoziva chikaranga chedu. So our whole family we went with her and left many things that included our maize crop, cattle and so on. We had to leave all these things because we didn't want the Rhodesian soldiers to come and clearly see that we had left. We wanted to make it appear as if we were coming back. We were later told that the Rhodesian soldiers came three weeks after our departure.

In our family we are seven and I am the last born.

There were also some people who were running away from the war, you call them refugees. Vakanga vatengeswa nevavengi that they were supporting freedom fighters. Of course, we were accompanied by a group of freedom fighters who were carrying Nehanda Nyakasikana. Nehanda Nyakasikana aiva nemhiko yekuti pega pega pane rukova, vaifa.

SM: Come on comrade Murenga. What do you mean kufa? You mean actual death?

Murenga: Yes, kufa chaiko. Death. Kuoma chaiko vasingafemi. Yaiva mhiko yavo, nekuti takanga tava kuvadzorera kwavakatanga kubva nevanhu vachipinda muno. Mutemo wavo waiva wekuti handidzokere zvekare kwandakabva. So just before crossing a river, she would die and come back to life as soon as we cross the river.

SM: Comrade, there is a big difference between fainting and dying.

Murenga: I know that very well. When we say someone has fainted, that person will still be breathing. Nehanda Nyakasikana would not be breathing at all. She even told us kuti kana ndavakubira rwizi ndinofa nekuti munenge manditaridza kwandakabva ndichiuya kuno kunyika Chivavarira (now Zimbabwe).

SM: These comrades who came to carry Mbuya Nehanda, from what you remember, did they really believe in Mbuya Nehanda?

Murenga: I was 12 years old and yes, I remember quite a number of things. From the way these comrades were behaving, I could see that they believed in Nehanda Nyakasikana. Even as they were communicating among themselves on the journey, they were showing lots of respect for her. Maybe they had been given instructions but they showed lots of respect.

We were walking in very thick forests. We are talking of those days when there were still very few people in the country. The forests were still very, very thick and there were many world animals. As we were walking takapfuura nepaiva neimwe mhondoro inonzi Tawatawa, then we got pazambuko raZambezi trying to cross into Mozambique then proceed to Zambia. When we got pazambuko apa, there were rituals that were supposed to be carried out again. Paifanirwa kusumwa mhondoro dzekuMozambique. So some of the comrades were sent to conduct these rituals. I remember vividly that Khumalo was part of this team that was sent across Zambezi to go and conduct some rituals, namambo weikoko. It's unfortunate I cant remember the name of this spirit medium.

These comrades did what was supposed to be done and after this we crossed Zambezi river, but we all didn't cross at once. We used zvimwadiya and we crossed in small batches. Before we crossed Zambezi pane jira raNehanda Nyakasikana that she said should not cross Zambezi, rakasara kuno kumhiri. Jira iroro rakaiswa pamuti wemunzwa and rakazodzoka rega kumusha kwedu. Ndiro jira rakanga raitiswa mhiko as Nehanda Nyakasikana was crossing coming to Chivavarira.

SM: What you mean kudzoka rega?

Murenga: I mean rakadzoka rega. In 1986, jira iroro ndakariona mubako. Up to now its still there and hapana anokwanisa kuritora. Only the Murenga clan can go kune jira iri. It's still there mubako and in very good condition. Some people have asked me kuti jira iri ririkupi and I font know why they wanted to know but they won't find it.

SM: So this piece of cloth will be there until when?

Murenga: According to what Nehanda Nyakasikana said when we were now in Kambiya (Zambia), jira iroro vakati, haaa, infact lets leave this story about jira iri because jira iri ndiro riri kutsvagwa nevese vanonyepa kuti imhepo yaNehanda Nyakasikana. So tasvika kuKambiya, we settled at Chifombo and Nehanda Nyakasikana aigara in kumusasa wake. Macomrades went to inform their leader Herbert Chitepo because they had finished their job. Comrade Chitepo and Tongogara were later called and they came with many other Zanu leaders who in Zambia at that time. During this meeting they were told mazano nemhiko how to fight the war. I was there when this meeting was held.

SM: When we spoke to Khumalo he said Mbuya Nehanda actually told the freedom fighters that whenever rituals on Zimbabwe were to be conducted, you were supposed to be consulted and be present?

Murenga: That's true. This was said in front of them all.

SM: Why you?

Murenga: I don't know the exact reason. I really don't know but semhunu akanga aine mhepo, I think Nehanda Nyakasikana akaone kuti ndinokodzera kubata basa rake. She said pese panoitwa zvinhu zvaNehanda, ndinofanirwa kunge ndiripo. My father actually later explained some of these things to me after the liberation struggle.

So I was talking about dare rakazoitwa at Chifombo. All the Zanu leaders in Zambia came led by Chitepo. I think even some officials from the Zambian government came. I cant remember all the names, but vakanga vakawanda.

Sekuru Chipfeni, Chiodzamamera and Chidyamauyu were there. Nehanda Nyakasikana said, mandisvitsa kuno asi ini handizivi kuti ndavingei munyika yeKambiya. The leaders then explained why she had been brought to Kambiya. I remember very clearly that Nehanda Nyakasikana started by telling the leaders that vana vamakaendesa kuChinhoyi (Chinhoyi battle) makakasika kuvaendesa musina kunditsanangurira. Zvisinei vana ivavo vakaita sechipikiso. She then turned and told Chitepo zvedzinza rake and the link kuhondo. She even told Chitepo how he was going to die. She told Chitepo kuti hausikuzoona nyika itsva. She did the same kuna Tongogara. She told Tongo kuti iwe, vamwe vava kuno pururudza, uchaita chipiriso kuno. Up to this day when I see those videos where Tongo speaks saying all I want is Zimbabwe to be free, I remember this meeting at Chifombo. Even when he was told that he would not see a free Zimbabwe, Tongo said those words saying all I want is to change the system in that country. After this, vakazopihwa mhiko yehondo.

SM: You see, Murenga, when Khumalo said the same thing about Tongo and Chitepo we said to him are you not saying this because Chitepo passed away in 1975 and Tongo died in 1979. Are you not making up this?

Murenga: It's now me and Khumalo who have told you this. Other comrades who were there will also tell you the same. Why should we lie to you? To gain what? Like I said to you, we can go kumusha kwedu and you speak to many people who were there.

SM: Some people will say, ahh, mhuri yekwaMurenga ndiyo yakaruka nyaya iyi?

Murenga: You won't talk to the Murenga family alone. There are many people who can confirm this from our area. So pamhiko dzehondo, Nehanda Nyakasikana akati imi makatora madzimai kuti vauye kuhondo asi ini ndanga ndisingade kuti mutore munhu anonzi mudzimai nekuti mudzimai anogeza kupera kwemwedzi. Ndaida ive hondo yevarume chete. Saka nekuti madzimai akatouya, kana mofamba musango, hamufanirwi kuguma mudzimai kana kuita chipfambi muhondo. She said anochengetedza mhiko iyoyo achadzoka kumusha. Nehanda Nyakasikana akati kana uri murume ukaita chipfambi, unopera simba mumabvi. Ukazosangana nemuvengi hauzokwanisi kurwa. She insisted that zvamatora madzimai, mhiko yango iyi muchairasa. Marasa mhiko, hondo yenyu ichatora nguva yakareba asi muchazokunda. The freedom fighters later went and carried out with their mission to execute the liberation struggle.

After I think a week or so, Mbuya Nehanda called all the elders and said ini, ndava kuda kuenda. She said ndava kusiya nyika. Asi ndisati ndaenda ndine mashoko andinoda kusiya ndataura. I was also there on this day and those words still haunt me. For us to be here today, those words akakosha and what pains me is that up to this day hapana chakaitwa munyika ino yeZimbabwe. She told the elders kuti ndava kusiya nyika sezvandakataura zviya kuti handirarame nguva yakareba ndiri kuKambiya, nyika yemwana wangu anonzi Ruwananyika (now Lewanika).

SM: What exactly did she say?

Murenga: First, she said kana makunda anonzi muvengi, I want repeat here, she said kana makunda muvengi, dzorerai nyika iyoyo kumadzitateguru enyu. This has not yet been done as far as I know. I know that this has not yet been done because like I told you, vakati panoitwa basa rangu ini Nehanda Nyakasikana, musasiye kapwere aka. She meant me because I was still a small little boy, just 12 years. Like I told you I don't know why she said this.

Secondly, she said munofanirwa kuzogadza madzimambo ekwenyu asi vanogadzwa nemadzimambo endoro. Those who remember the pictures of King Lobengula, we used to see him aine something cheround pamhanza pake, ndiyo ndoro yandiri kutaura, but ndoro yavaireva inosungirirwa pahana. Nehanda Nyakasikana paakabva kumhiri yegungwa ndiye akauya nendoro iyi akasarudza vanhu vaaiti ndivo vanofanirwa kuzogadza madzimambo. There is a family in this country inofanirwa kugadza madzimambo. Third, she said munofanirwa kuchengetedza masango enyu anoyera. Vaireva places like Matopos, Great Zimbabwe and so on.

Fourth, she said kana pane nzvimbo inoyera asi yakarara muvengi, nzvimbo iyoyo munofanirwa kuichengetedza nekubvisa muvengi ipapo. I will give you an example, that place inonzi Matopos, ndipo pakapedzesera izwi raMurenga kunzwikwa asi pane muvengi aripo, Rhodes nevana vake vatairwa navo. Thats why I am saying all this hazvisati zvaitwa asi paMatopos ndipo paneinzwi rematateguru edu.

Fifth, she said imi mutungamiri wenyu, anofanirwa kugadzwa pachivanhu opihwa mhiko dzekutonga nadzo kwete zvevauyi. She meant that the constitution will be good for you the living but kumhepo haiko. So mutungamiri uyu anofanirwa kugadzwa pasichigare, even agadzwa zvechimanjemanje.

Sixth and last, she said panofanirwa kubikwa doro kana zvese izvi zvaitwa. Doro iri rinobikwa panhongonya, panhova penyika. Like I explained to you earlier, nhova yeZimbabwe iri kuGreat Zimbabwe nekuti ndiko kwakaiswa mureza wekuratidza kuti tasvika munyika Chivavarira. She said mabika doro, mochidzora vana vakafira mumasango movadzora kumadzinza kwavo. All these six things have not yet been done. Vamwe vakuru vanokwanisa havo kunyepa kuti takagadzira but I tell them kuti vanonyepa.

Nehanda Nyakasikana went further saying, zvese izvozvo zvikasaitwa, inini, Nyakasikana Nehanda, handibate paneimwe homwe chero zvodini. She repeated that mukasaita izvi, handibate pane imwe homwe. Now that's why you see that since 1972, hakuna mhepo yaNehanda yakabata pana anyone. Ndini ndiri kutaura hakuna kana one and I know it. I have heard so many people claiming to be this and that about Mbuya Nehanda, but ndine urombo to say this, all those people are fake.

SM: Why do you say that?

Murenga: Those people are fake. Nehanda Nyakasikana akati kana mava kuita nezvangu, musasiye kapwere aka. I am here handisati ndafa. Hapana chati chaitwa and vese vanoti vanosvikirwa naMbuya Nehanda, they are all fake. I have gone to see some of these people and kungoona so I discover kuti mahumbwe chaiwo. You see, the name Mbuya Nehanda has become a company and people try to make money using that name. And some of these people who make these false claims vanhu vakuru chaivo zvekuti you can be tempted to believe them. Mbuya Nehanda upi anopfeka matennis, anoisa perfume, anopinda mutown and akazvara? What kind of Nehanda is that?

SM: Are you not doing exactly what you are condemning, trying to make a name using Mbuya Nehanda?

Murenga: Do you know why they call her Nehanda Nyakasikana? Kana mhepo yaNehanda Nyakasikana yabata inobata pamusikana ane 11 years chete, kana atozopfuurira, maybe 12 years. Musikana asati abatwa kazamo kake nemukomana, uye asati asangana nemukomana. That's where the name Nyakasikana comes from. This person anofa akadaro without having sex with anyone. Munhu iyeye anochengetwa nemhepo, kusvika 100 years and above.

SM: Do you sometimes communicate with Nehanda Nyakasikana in your dreams or something?

Murenga: I don't communicate with her but like I told you pane hope dzandinomborota ndakarara. This year (2015) ndarota ndichitaura navo about three times. In 2008, I was in Guruve panozi paKondo ndakarara ndakapihwa hope. After this dream, the next morning I picked up the phone and told one of the senior Government officials about this dream kuti musi wa29 March, hamusikuzohwina. Zvikanzi hindava comrade ndikati ndaudzwa. This official later called me confirming that indeed my dream was true. The official asked me kuti ndino svikirwa here and I said I don't want to claim what I am not, handisvikirwe. Handina mhondoro asi ndinorota.

SM: Some people would say, you are just telling us about what happened in the past. If you have these dreams, why don't you tell us what will happen in future?

Murenga: Handikwanisi kutaura zvichaitika mberi nekuti hurumende yeZimbabwe ine chikwereti. We can't go forward, kumashure huswa huchimera. There is no point in doing that. Zvinhu zvakataurwa zviri pachena and that should be followed. Kana zvisina kuitwa izvozvo, nhamo yeZimbabwe ngatirege kunyeberana, haiperi and muvengi achatouya muno kuzogara. We will be re-colonised tikasagadzira these things. Ndiri pano ndiri kutaura. Just look at what is happening in our country. Ivhu takatora asi tiri kusekwa. Hatina chatakaita pane zvakataurwa naMbuya Nehanda. Nehanda Nyakasikana wacho haasikuzofa akabuda futi. Asi kuti abude, its just a month. Those who claim to be vana Mbuya Nehanda, why can't they finish our hardships? Simba raNehanda Nyakasikana isu vamwe takariona. Nehanda Nyakasikana haabude pane tsvina yakadai. Tangai mapedza zvaakataura, then tozoenda mberi tichigadzira nyika.

SM: You are beginning to scare us. Who is supposed to do all this that you are talking about?

Murenga: We are just children in this. Ahead of us there are elders who know what should be done. These elders should lead us vachitituma isu vana kunochera mvura. All the Zanu leaders who were in Zambia who attended this meeting know what should be done. Ndine hurombo kuti since 1980, kune vamwe who were at this meeting who have passed on but kune vachiri vapenyu. They are the ones who should go and tell the country's leadership what was said and what should be done. If I am to die today, ndinopa mhosva kuna, Khumalo, vane mhosva kwandiri nekunyika. He was there Nehanda Nyakasika achitaura and he should tell the country's leadership what was said. Even Bethune knows what was said and if these people don't talk, vane mhosva kwandiri nekunyika, I want to repeat this.

Do you know that kareko, Nehanda aiiti akafa, paiita about three years mumwe Nehanda Nyakasikana obva atobata. But look now its since 1972 and up to this day Nehanda Nyakasikana haasati adzoka.

SM: Ok, we will come back to these issues. For now tell us a bit about Mbuya Nehanda died because most freedom fighters dont know much about that part.

Murenga: When she said ndava kusiya nyika, telling our elders, she passed on about two weeks later. On the day she passed on, there were complications because she was no longer eating properly. She was refusing to eat. Ndaiti ndikavapa even mvura mumukombe vakanga vakungoramba. Munhu aivapa chikafu mazuva akupedzisira aya anonzi Nhamoinesu. She is still alive. Muzukuru wangu. She is now living in Chikuti in Mt Darwin. She is the one who used to tell us kuti vava kuramba even food.

When the time came, she just covered herself nemachira avo and passed on silently.

However, people got to know that she had passed away, ishumba nemhondoro, nembada. Zvakachema the whole night. Even if you ask macomrades, on this day, I don't even think kwakarwiwa or anything. Mbuya vakazovigwa kuChifombo ikoko.

She had told us while we were still in Zimbabwe kuti kana ndazosiya nyika munondiviga ndakadai, ndakadai. She said mukasadaro handimuke. But then this was during the war, pakavakwa something like chisukiro chekumusha chiya. Vakaiswa ipapo. In 1974, ini ndakazobatwa nemabhunu. I was still around the area but in a small town in Mozambique called Villa Zumbu. Ndakabatwa together with other people and we were flown to Musengezi in a helicopter. There was now a Keep, where the Rhodesian solders forced people to stay in a bid to stop them from supporting freedom fighters. All the surrounding villages had been burnt by the Rhodesian soldiers.

From there we were taken to another Keep, yaiva kwainzi kuGutsa, kwaHwata. We were there until 1975. After this we were relocated to Guruve, a place called Masomo near Sabhuku Kwainona's area. Later I went to Hackley (now Chegutu) where I started going to school again.

SM: Quite a fascinating story. Now, Comrade Murenga, after seeing that those who are supposed to tell the country's leadership are failing to do so, why can't you just do it yourself? Maiva muzukuru and as you know in our tradition, muzukuru can do anything and get away with it?

Murenga: I can do that but from my point of view its not appropriate. I don't want the leadership or some people to start thinking ndiri kutsvaga mbiri. Some people will ask kuti mbiri yangu ndeyeyi. I want those responsible to do their duty and if I am to be called, I will be called after vatotaura kuti pane kazukuru kacho. Like I said, I was still just 12 so I don't want to be mistaken as someone akaganhira. SM: But you see, even those responsible you are talking about, if they go and tell the leadership, they will also be accused of trying to seek relevance?

Murenga: Hapana mbiri yavachatsvaga because vakaita mbiri kare by fighting in the liberation struggle. Freedom fighters don't seek relevance, they seek to build the country because vanoziva vakasiya vamwe musango. The people of Zimbabwe need to know that hondo yeZimbabwe hapana kushanda Bible, pakashanda fodya. This should tell people kuti yaiva hondo yevadzimu.

SM: After the death of Mbuya Nehanda in Zambia, were her remains ever brought back to Zimbabwe?

Murenga: In 1976, mapfupa avo akanotorwa kuChifombo and she was buried on the Mozambican side padhuze peguva remwana wavo gotwe ainzi Samarengu. I mean mwana ndichitaura pamhepo. After the war, it was arranged that her remains should be taken to Zimbabwe. The whole Murenga clan was never consulted or told. This was done under the leadership of Sekuru Chidyamauyu and some comrades who were coming from KG Six. They went and I don't know what they did, but my father later told me kuti these people vakazoviga these remains musango rinonzi Tsokoto. What they did was wrong and according to us, nothing was done. There are some spirit mediums who were supposed to be there and paifanirwa kunge pane Madzimambo endoro chena. All these people didn't know mhiko yekuvigwa kwaNehanda Nyakasikana. Takati regai vaite, asi nhamo ichauya pamberi.