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David Coltart: handsome Matabele warrior with brains
I must confess, I feel jealous whenever I see the Mayor of Bulawayo, David Coltart in his Matabele traditional regalia. The man looks more handsome especially when he is wearing his head gear (umqhele...Published: 25 Jun 2025 at 11:12hrs | 808 | by Israel Dube
Raping minors to fight HIV/AIDS is satanic - traditional healer
Glendale-based traditional healer Peter "Sekuru Nyangatayani" Chingudzi said those who claim to have been advised by tradional healers to rape minors to get rid of the pandemic are not getting it from...Published: 19 Jun 2025 at 18:32hrs | 227 | by Simbarashe Sithole in Glendale
Garwe must change colonial mentality
SOMETIME last year in August, the Zimbabwean government issued a strong condemnation and warning against Mike Moyo and Timothy Chiminya for claiming titles as ceremonial King Mambo and King Munhumutap...Published: 02 May 2025 at 09:00hrs | 990 | by Phakathwayo Gumede
Chief Dakamela appointed continental AKDA director
In a major recognition of grassroots leadership and cultural stewardship, Chief Dakamela of Nkayi District in Matabeleland North Province has been appointed as the Continental Executive Director of th...Published: 15 Apr 2025 at 08:40hrs | 390 | by Staff reporter
Rethinking the narrative, embracing homegrown solutions, over USAID
The longstanding narrative that African countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, are heavily reliant on Western aid specifically USAID has become increasingly outdated and misleading. It i...Published: 12 Mar 2025 at 17:48hrs | 194 | by Hazel Chari
Mutare Museum displays lightning making tools
The Mutare Museum holds many captivating exhibits, but few are as mystifying as the "mheni" or "umbane" (lightning) collection. These objects, reportedly used in the summoning of lightning for retribu...Published: 08 Mar 2025 at 14:37hrs | 133 | by Staff reporter
The dangers of colonial nostalgia and Amnesia
The legacy of colonialism remains a stain on our society - something that cannot be whitewashed. It remains a source of trauma - a source of collective pain. Four decades after independence, its...Published: 15 Jan 2025 at 11:21hrs | 448 | by Innocent Mpoki
Parly petitioned over ancestry constitutional recognition
The Hweva Association, an organization advocating for African traditional religion, has petitioned Parliament to amend the Zimbabwean Constitution to explicitly include and honor ancestors and ancestr...Published: 05 Aug 2024 at 07:10hrs | 217 | by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe's traditional healers take to TikTok
WEARING a stylish black leather jacket and a red blouse, a denim sun hat covering her dreadlocked head, Gogo Mafirakureva goes live on TikTok.In just the first few minutes of her livestream, a...Published: 07 Jul 2024 at 18:01hrs | 46 | by Staff reporter
Chiwenga denounces gay elements
The Government has denounced some elements who are luring youths into homosexuality through offering educational scholarships for those who are into Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) act...Published: 16 Feb 2024 at 04:56hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter
Ulunyoka, the spell that binds love and punishes betrayal
IN the shadowed corners of tradition lies the practice of ulunyoka - a spellbinding ritual that binds a spouse to fidelity with consequences dire enough to stir the soul. This ancient art of "centrall...Published: 06 Jan 2024 at 08:43hrs | 73 | by Leonard Ncube
The role of religion in Zimbabwe politics
The role of religious and spiritual dynamics, including African Traditional Religion (ATR), in Zimbabwean politics has been significant and complex. These dynamics have influenced both the historical ...Published: 19 Dec 2023 at 11:20hrs | 23 | by Josh Mhambi
Ezra 'Tshisa' Sibanda on traditional healer hit list
Zimbabwean is currently embroiled in a bitter verbal dispute with a South African traditional healer who claims that the Zimbabwean reneged on promises to pay for services rendered during a cour...Published: 08 Oct 2023 at 07:57hrs | 6 | by Staff reporter
Magriza Made me Cook clothing brand launched
MR PRINCE Mahlangu (33) the producer of the YouTube show Magriza Made Me Cook (MMMC) show and his partner have created a clothing brand with personalized messages of traditional food for people who ar...Published: 01 Apr 2023 at 20:34hrs | 3 | by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe in 2023: There is great disorder, chaos under the heavens
GEORGE Orwell wrote so much and so well that one day it became cause for a whole essay to explain to himself and the world why he wrote as such.In the essay of 1946, Why I Write, Orwell recoun...Published: 17 Jan 2023 at 05:49hrs | 81 | by Dr William Jethro Mpofu
White bride on rural stoep
ONE of the hallmarks of a marriage in the Ndebele culture is ukucola, a ritual to introduce the daughter-in-law to the ancestors which is conducted by the groom's family. The process invo...Published: 01 Oct 2022 at 06:12hrs | | by Staff reporter
Mnangagwa's wife snubs WHO sanctioned event in Harare
THE First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa Wednesday failed to turn up for a World Health Organisation (WHO) sanctioned event at which she was expected to officiate.This was despite her having confirmed...Published: 01 Sep 2022 at 10:16hrs | 14 | by Staff reporter
Virginity and the Johanne Marange religious customs
THE state has outlawed virginity testing as a human rights violation.However, it is surprising to note that Johanne Marange Apostolic Church (JMAC) still teaches and conducts mandatory virgini...Published: 30 Aug 2022 at 19:54hrs | 6 | by Matthew Mare
Zimbabweans turn to traditional medicine
INTEREST in practising as herbalists is growing in the country, with the numbers of people enrolling at the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers' Association (ZINATHA) training school ris...Published: 04 Aug 2022 at 06:35hrs | 10 | by Staff reporter
Top South African sangoma to consult live on Skyz Metro FM
Controversial South African traditional healer Dr. Khehlelezi, (real name is Bhongolethu Mzozo) will be consulting live on Skyz Metro FM in Bulawayo on the 3rd of March 2021. The program...Published: 25 Feb 2022 at 20:22hrs | 1 | by Mandla Ndlovu
Masuka Chieftaincy restored after 71 years
When the late Chief Mafini Masuka of Gokwe South became radical, denouncing and confronting the white colonial regime in 1951, he immediately suffered retribution and was stripped of his chieftaincy....Published: 22 Feb 2022 at 05:33hrs | 4 | by Staff reporter
Mnangagwa gets greenlight to evict Chilonga villagers
THE fate of 12 000 villagers in Chilonga, Chiredzi, has been effectively sealed after the High Court on Thursday ruled there was "finite wisdom" in gave President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration's...Published: 07 Jan 2022 at 05:51hrs | 9 | by Staff reporter
Top South African sangoma invades Bulawayo
Controversial South African traditional healer Dr. Khehlelezi, (real name is Bhongolethu Mzozo) will be in Bulawayo on the 9th of January for a miracle service which will be held at BAC leisure ...Published: 03 Jan 2022 at 12:09hrs | 20 | by Mandla Ndlovu
Mnangagwa rejects copies of stolen artefacts
Africa should insist that archives and museum objects of its heroes should be originals, not digital copies, with Zimbabwe one of the countries with the facilities ready to receive and protect this he...Published: 25 Nov 2021 at 09:34hrs | 19 | by Staff Reporter
Sanctions cost Zimbabwe over US$42 billion in revenue
Allow me to welcome you to this unique and inaugural Sadc wide anti-sanctions Indaba which is being held under the theme "Zimbabwe a friend to all and an enemy to none". This statement is premised on ...Published: 31 Oct 2021 at 06:57hrs | 2 | by Dr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
High Court reserves judgment in Chilonga villagers case
HIGH Court judges yesterday reserved judgment on an application by Chilonga villagers who were challenging provisions of the Communal Lands Act arguing that it did not respect African traditional valu...Published: 13 Oct 2021 at 06:12hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe ready to export Covid-19 protective equipment
ZIMBABWE is ready to export Covid-19 protective equipment after two local institutions received funding from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to manufacture these for the benefit of t...Published: 24 Jun 2021 at 09:32hrs | | by Staff Reporter
How Zimbabwe is still haunted by Robert Mugabe
IN OUR series of letters from Africa, Zimbabwean journalist-turned-barrister Brian Hungwe writes that long-serving ruler Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019, seems to be causing trouble from beyond the gr...Published: 06 Jun 2021 at 18:11hrs | | by Staff reporter
Prophet by day, sangoma by night
At first glance, Bishop Cuthbert Nyaruvenda, the founder of Sangano Dzvene Revapostori Church, looks like an ordinary person next door.Alighting from his car clad in a blue T-shirt and matchin...Published: 21 Mar 2021 at 08:22hrs | 3 | by Tendai Chara
Conservationist fears umsuzwani extinction
VEGETATION conservationist and director of Isandla Esihle/Ruoko Rwakanaka Trust, Never Bonde has expressed fears that due to high demand as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Lippia Javanica/zu...Published: 15 Feb 2021 at 18:14hrs | | by Staff reporter
Covid-19 patient sues government over burial restrictions
A COVID-19 patient has taken the government to court contesting recent burial restrictions as he claims they would violate his cultural beliefs in the event that he dies and is not buried at his rural...Published: 26 Jan 2021 at 14:00hrs | | by Staff reporter
Trail of relatives' deaths exposes cruel hand of Covid-19
My brothers and sisters last Friday I lost my elder brother Elvis to Covid-19. Elvis Maplanka was a prominent businessman in Bulawayo in the transport and retail sector. Over and above his business, h...Published: 20 Jan 2021 at 06:44hrs | 2 | by Apostle St Paul Maplanka
Kwekwe artiste cements African roots
Award winning traditional gospel artiste Kanizios Msonza (Kanimusic) recently released a single track titled "Good Morning Africa" ...Published: 14 Jan 2021 at 08:29hrs | 3 | by Tarisai Mudahondo
Mnangagwa's govt to restore Old Bulawayo
GOVERNMENT is working on a proper roadmap towards the restoration of King Lobengula's original palace, Old Bulawayo, which was gutted by a veld fire 10 years ago as well as sprucing up King Mzilikazi'...Published: 05 Sep 2020 at 09:31hrs | 17 | by Staff reporter
Obert Mpofu behind Chief Ndiweni jail sentence, claims Coltart
MDC Alliance treasure general David Coltart has described the case in which Ntabazinduna Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni was jailed for 18 months as a political sham trial influenced by Zanu-PF and its...Published: 18 Aug 2019 at 11:42hrs | | by Staff Reporter
MDC 16 August Demonstrations: Why there shall be a huge turnout!
In 1918, Eller Wheeler Wilcox the great American author once said "to sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of many" . Subsequently, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has call...Published: 15 Aug 2019 at 07:41hrs | 2 | by Erasmus Pongo
Open letter to Nelson Chamisa
Attention : Advocate Nelson Chamisa The Movement for Democratic Change has become the most powerful political organization in Zimbabwe. This influence h...Published: 27 Jul 2019 at 19:54hrs | 1 | by Pongo
Why should we remember Joshua Nkomo
IN this two-part series, the Zimbabwe Independent reproduces the 2019 Annual Joshua Nkomo Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Sabelo J Ndlovu-Gatsheni, organised by Joshua Nkomo Legacy Foundation ...Published: 21 Jun 2019 at 07:52hrs | 2 | by Sabelo J Ndlovu-Gatsheni
African traditional leaders back Chief Ndiweni
AFRICA'S Forum for traditional leaders, Sultans, Princes and Sheiks has thrown its weight behind outspoken Ntabazinduna Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni who raised the ire of government and Zanu-PF offi...Published: 22 May 2019 at 06:24hrs | 3 | by Staff reporter
Nature and function of 'Alien Spirits' in the Shona/Ndebele traditional religion
Explain the nature and function of Alien Spirits in the Shona\Ndebele Traditional Religion.The concept of God, divinities and spirits in African traditi...Published: 15 May 2019 at 08:19hrs | 85 | by Brian Maregedze
Explain the nature and function of Alien Spirits in the Shona\Ndebele Traditional Religion
Advanced Level Family and Religious Studies: Nature and Function of Alien Spirits in the Shona/Ndebele Traditional Religion The concept of God, diviniti...Published: 12 May 2019 at 08:29hrs | 1368 | by Brian Maregedze
Unholy intimacy between church, politicians exposed
There is collusion between the State and the church right at the thick of the country's crippling socio-political problems.The grand conspiracy was displayed in this month's installment of The...Published: 12 May 2019 at 06:27hrs | 2 | by Kennedy Nyavaya
2 failed marriages, a broken past define Mukanya
Two broken marriages, transition from village life to the ghetto, a miscalculated sojourn into the diaspora, failed investments, a broken youth life, all carved the character of this man. This...Published: 23 Mar 2019 at 05:46hrs | 11 | by STaff reporter
Zimbabwe prophets under spotlight
The shocking video of a popular South African pastor, Alph Lukau, ostensibly bringing a "dead" Zimbabwean man back to life during a church service in Johannesburg, has reignited intense debate about t...Published: 27 Feb 2019 at 14:26hrs | | by Staff reporter
Spiritual significance of lobola/ roora
Calls to abolish the payment of lobola/roora are associated with some feminist perspective, which decries it as the major cause of inequalities between the sexes. Arguments against it are well establi...Published: 18 Feb 2019 at 07:20hrs | 5 | by Miriam Tose Majome
Zimbabwe's Delta Corporation to acquire SA's United National Breweries
Delta Corporation is set to acquire United National Breweries, the leading South African traditional beer company, which manufactures brands such as Chibuku, Leopard, Ijuba, Tlokwe and Joburg beer bra...Published: 22 Dec 2018 at 19:47hrs | 8 | by Staff reporter
Curtains: an anthology of poems
The Harare based poet and author, Takunda Chikomo made his first contribution to poetry with Curtains: an anthology of poems, published by TafaPrint Publishers Zimbabwe, 2018. Takunda recently finishe...Published: 12 Dec 2018 at 09:28hrs | 17 | by Brian Maregedze
Cremations 'threaten' Zimbabwe's ancestral spirits
Cremation is provoking a huge debate in Zimbabwe, bringing cultural and religious beliefs to the fore, journalist-turned-barrister Brian Hungwe writes from Harare."For you were made from dust,...Published: 22 Nov 2018 at 06:12hrs | 2 | by Brian Hungwe
Fear as 40 000 couples re-marry in the sacred of month of November
Fear has gripped some sections of the Zimbabwean community after reports that Forty thousand couples from over 200 countries will rededicate their marriages in Harare on Wednesday in a huge ceremony t...Published: 21 Nov 2018 at 09:19hrs | 1 | by Mandla Ndlovu
Musimboti cashes in on drugs crisis
CERTIFIED herbal medicines manufacturer, Musimboti Traditional Science and Technology Institute (MTSTI), has over the past two months experienced a surge in business as patients resort to traditional ...Published: 19 Nov 2018 at 05:58hrs | | by Staff reporter
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