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To those that have never sought the services of witch hunters, it always surprises them what drives people to turn to tsikamutandas.
So much has been said and there has been a chorus of condemnation even from representatives of traditional healers about the practice of witch hunting. This past week we carried a moving article aboutan elderly woman from Matobo district that has been rendered an outcast by her community after being fingered by witch hunters as a witch. They went further and made incisions on her forehead as a mark that she was a witch.
Not only did she have her rights violated but the largely youthful band of witch hunters showed no respect for an elderly member of the community. What is apparent is that these so-called tsikamutandas, who always come from outside the areas where they operate, have become such a menace and terrorise the most vulnerable members of the community. Sadly, many gullible members of these communities cheer on instead of uniting and repelling these evil encroachments. The fact that these hunters usually target helpless women and the elderly is a cause for concern. Also, the fact that they charge for their sometimes unsolicited services means that they can easily pull off some stunts in order to enrich themselves since their operations cannot be audited by the community.
We believe this illegality has been allowed to go on for a long time and traditional leaders should put their foot down if they are to continue commanding the respect of their subjects. There is growing suspicion that the witch hunters share their spoils with the traditional leaders who sanction such witch hunting expeditions.
It appears mysterious happenings in communities have led some to turn to the witch hunters for answers, opening communities up for exploitation by the charlatans who are known to camp for months even, and take advantage of women and young girls while they spend proceeds from their operations, before locating their next target and moving on to get more cattle under the guise of cleansing.
Elsewhere in this issue we carry the story of the body of a baby which was found outside the grave three days after burial. However, the community leader, due to the shock that the incident has brought upon the community, said they might have to bring in witch hunters. The search for answers and desperation that sometimes engulfs communities is what has led to the use of witch hunters in the vain search for answers. We feel though we must respect traditions, the leaders of registered traditional healers need to be consulted in such issues so that should anything go wrong in the process of cleansing, there can be recourse for the aggrieved. The negative impact of the witch hunters goes beyond just sowing enmity in communities but also has an economic impact. Villagers lose their source of livelihoods after being falsely accused of owning goblins, and usually the poorest of the poor are targeted. We believe if a study were to be carried out, the economic impact and social upheavals visited upon communities by these bands of charlatans would be shocking. May our traditional leaders stand up and be counted, and stand up in defence of their subjects, instead of being seen to be supping with the devils.
Online Reporter