Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A HARARE family has turned to traditional authorities for intervention, claiming they are trapped in a cycle of misfortunes, mysterious illnesses, and failed marriages allegedly linked to spiritual bondage.
The escalating rift recently spilled into Chief Mutasa’s community court, where members of the Mugayi family sought guidance in accessing spiritual healers to break what they believe is a family curse.
Testifying before the court, Saymore Mugayi said tensions began when his aunt pleaded for help, prompting the family to confront troubling patterns. He revealed that one of his sisters, now in her 40s, has never married, while both male and female relatives continue to struggle with unstable relationships and recurring sickness.
“When our aunt approached us, we realised that something was wrong within our family. We get sick often, and none of us, boys or girls, seem to get married. At one time we consulted a spiritual healer, and he told our father to release us from our bondage. My father told him that he could not do it because the spiritual beings behind it were listening at that time,” he said.
Saymore said the healer promised to help, but never returned.
The siblings continued pressing their father for answers, but their relationship deteriorated with each confrontation.
“We kept probing our father to help us, and eventually he told us that the way we were acting was like forcing him to do something he did not want. We later consulted another healer in Glendale without our father. The healer told us that a young child was supposed to die because the spirits wanted blood urgently. We paid him US$1 500, and he claimed to have exorcised the goblin haunting us,” he added.
Saymore told the court that despite paying the large sum, the family’s misfortunes persisted.
Instead, the accusations within the household worsened, splitting the once-close family into two camps.
“Now we are no longer on good terms with our father. We are no longer on speaking terms because accusations are flying left, right and centre. As we speak, people are bedridden within the family. One of our relatives attempted to take her own life because she felt hopeless. That is why we have come here. We want the court to assist us with a healer we can trust,” he said.
His father, Sekuru Mugayi, dismissed claims of a curse, and denied being the source of the problem, telling the court that what the family was experiencing was not different from any other household’s struggles.
“There is nothing unusual happening in my family. The problem is simply that my daughter is over 40 and has never been married. I have gone everywhere with her seeking help, but nothing has changed. This is a family matter, and I do not think the boys should be interfering. I am the father, and I am the one who should be dealing with this matter, not these boys,” he said.
Sekuru Mugayi accused his sons of being confrontational, and said their aggressiveness had made it difficult for him to play any meaningful role in the consultations they demanded.
“These boys are violent when they approach me. They want to assault their own brother. I have tried consulting healers with them, but when they get violent, I have no choice, but to stop being involved. I cannot be associated with that. And besides, no healer has ever pointed an accusing finger on me or said that I am responsible for anything. They are simply being noisy and unreasonable. They also believe that their brother is responsible and want to beat him up,” he said.
Saymore’s brother, Mash Mugayi, also distanced himself from the accusations of wrongdoing, saying his younger brothers had already identified a suspect wizard before any consultations were made.
“They already have their wizard before any consultations. It should never work like that. When you consult a healer, you wait for him to tell you who is responsible. You do not go there having already pointed fingers. But these boys are violent. They attack me and also want to beat our father,” Mash told the court.
Chief Mutasa listened to both sides, and said the matter could not be resolved without assessing the individuals at the centre of the allegations.
He ordered the family to bring the bedridden members, including the daughter in her 40s and their aunt, so that he could assist them with a trusted traditional healer for consultation.
“This matter needs clarity. Bring the people who are said to be affected so that we can refer you to someone who will establish the truth,” he said.
The Mugayi family is expected to return to the court with the affected individuals for further proceedings next month (December).
