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THE local business community has condemned ritual killing practices and called on the legal system to effect punitive measures on perpetrators.
The response by the business community comes after a recent case in Zimunya, just outside Mutare, where a mutilated body of a 12-year-old boy who had left home for school was found on the banks of Murere River.
Post Business interviewed local businesspeople on Tuesday who expressed disgust over people who still believed in archaic traditional practices of enhancing wealth.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries Manicaland vice-chairperson and Matanuska finance director Mr Richard Chiwandire said people should be progressive minded and keep pace with international, ethical business practices.
“It is sad and pathetic that people still believe in primitive thinking about enhancing wealth through ritual killings.
“Business is all about working hard. People need to be progressive minded. As a country in order to steer our economy towards economic growth we should put a stop to such backward thinking,” said Mr Chiwandire.
Affirmative Action Group founding member and prominent transporter Mr Esau Mupfumi said the world over there were no business principles that recognise ritual killings as wealth-enhancing practices.
He said Zimbabweans should learn to do business in the proper manner based on sound business principles.
“There is no business that can survive through ritual killings. Business needs a firm foundation where you have a good relationship with your bank and get professional accountants to keep your books in order and give you sound business advice.
“We should live in the modern world and the law should be very harsh on ritual killing perpetrators to stop people from such practices,” said Mr Mupfumi.
Towers Property managing director Mr Lloyd Mapunga said as young businesspeople such practices should be shunned.
“There should be no place for such primitive thinking in the 21st century. Instead of following international best practices in business it is sad to hear people are still killing to enhance wealth.
“That is diabolical and perpetrators will only be booking a ticket to hell, not mentioning the collapse of their businesses,” said Mr Mapunga.
The Traditional Medical Practitioners’ Council of Zimbabwe also shunned the hideous practice.
TMPCZ Manicaland chairman Mr James Gabaza sent warning shots to all practising traditional and faith healers who recommend ritual killings.
TMPCZ is a constitutional regulatory board for all traditional and faith healers under the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“In 2009 we strongly made noise in Chipinge against ritual killings and the horrible act had declined.
“We have therefore decided to act fast on these recent reports and warn both perpetrators, the businesspeople and the practitioners,” he said.
He said, if caught, the traditional or faith healers would be charged for operating in contravention of the Traditional Medical Practitioners’ Act 21:14 of 1996.
Mr Gabaza, who is also a traditional healer, said true charms came from herbs not human being parts.
“In my experience the theory is that animals (human beings) get healed by nature and inversely nature gets healed by animals.
“So to say blood on blood or that human body parts cure human beings does not work. In actual fact you will be generating bad luck for your business because the avenging spirit of that person will haunt you,” he said.
He said instead of ritual killings, some of the herbs that can be used for wealth enhancement are Mukokakoka, Muchena and Chaunga, all natural herbs that enhance luck.
Mr Gabaza said whilst in West Africa ritual killings of albinos were very rampant, in Zimbabwe the ritual killings of infants were rife.
Apart from ritual killings, Manicaland, especially in Chipinge district, is famous for traditional healers known to possess wealth-enhancing potions.
Over the years, a lot of rumours have often done rounds in the province about various businesspeople enhancing wealth through goblins and charms, but none of them has ever been unearthed to authenticate them.
Mr Gabaza urged people to get assistance from registered traditional or faith healers to avoid being duped.
He said registered healers have TMPCZ certificates with an official logo of the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Online Reporter