Online Reporter
Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter
CULTURE and Heritage Ambassador, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, took her lively Dare initiative to Masvingo Province, where multitudes gathered at Chief Chitanga’s Traditional Court in Mwenezi to witness how local cases are handled.
The Tshangani court session, which featured deeply emotional cases that touched raw wounds in families and the wider community, was attended by Chiefs Mawarire, Neshuro, and Negari, among other traditional leaders.
The turnout was so overwhelming that some villagers followed the proceedings from outside the enclosure.
To open the proceedings, the court began in a distinct Tshangani style, men stood in honour of Chief Chitanga while women sat on reed mats, a gesture symbolising humility and respect in local tradition.
The atmosphere was electric, filled with ululations from women and clapping from men as they celebrated their culture and welcomed the day’s proceedings.
A prophet who was caught red-handed by the husband of the woman he claims to have been praying for while half naked in the claimant’s bedroom testifies at Chief Chitanga’s traditional court in Chivi on Wednesday. — Pictures: John Manzongo.
Both complainants and the accused sat on reed mats as a range of cases, including witchcraft, infidelity, family disputes and child marriages, among several others, were heard.
In line with tradition, men were addressed by their first names, while women were called by respectful titles, reflecting the cultural etiquette that governs such community courts.
While men occupied chairs, women, including the First Lady, sat on reed mats as they attentively followed the cases. Dr Mnangagwa commended the community for preserving its cultural heritage, which promotes peace, discipline, and moral guidance within families.
The cases heard mirrored those reported through the First Lady’s Gender-Based Violence toll-free line, 575, which continues to receive calls from across the country.
The traditional court came alive as attendees sat in tense silence, waiting for Chief Chitanga to begin. His aides, seated on either side, signalled the start of proceedings as elders nodded in approval.
Among the most talked-about cases was one involving allegations of witchcraft, a matter that stirred murmurs across the gathering.
A woman stood before the Chief, trembling as she accused her late husband’s brother of attacking her following her son’s death in a neighbouring country. The man, equally agitated, countered that she was violent and had falsely branded him a witch.
Despite the case lacking key witnesses, another emerged midway, claiming the woman once took soil from someone’s footprints and threatened them with death after her firewood went missing, an act the Chief ruled to be a spiritual offence. She was ordered to pay a sheep as atonement.
Laughter erupted when a self-styled prophet appeared before the court, accused of being caught naked in a married woman’s home.
Trying to defend himself, the man said amid chuckles: “Ndaiporofita ndiri mubedroom ndisina kupfeka nekuti shavi riri panamai ava harina kumira mushe, saka mweya pawakandibata ndakaerekana nhumbi dzadonha.”
The Chief shook his head in disbelief, saying the prophet had brought shame to the sacred name of prophecy, before ordering him to pay four beasts as compensation. Chief Chitanga also urged women to confide in their husbands instead of turning to false prophets who prey on desperation.
A son testifies as a witness in a case where his parents dragged each other to Chief Chitanga’s traditional court accusing each other of witchcraft in Chivi on Wednesday.
In another case, a woman who had been married four times was accused by her brother of cohabiting with another man at their late parents’ homestead. The court reminded the gathering that it is taboo for a man to stay at his in-laws’ home. The man was advised to build his own home and pay the bride price as a sign of respect.
Two teenagers, both aged 17, were also brought before the court after the female teen got pregnant. Chief Chitanga referred the matter to law enforcement authorities, stressing the importance of protecting children from early marriages.
Another case involved a family charged with accidentally damaging a neighbour’s grave while trying to erect a tombstone. Chief Chitanga reminded the community that all graves fall under his traditional jurisdiction and ordered the family to compensate the complainants with two goats as first-time offenders.
The court session provided a platform for reflection, correction and the restoration of moral order, reinforcing that traditional justice focuses not on punishment, but on restoration, healing families, reconciling neighbours and preserving peace.
After the proceedings, Dr Mnangagwa said her Dare engagements strengthen the link between traditional and modern justice systems, ensuring Zimbabwe’s cultural values remain central in addressing social challenges.
She thanked traditional leaders for resolving issues from the grassroots, noting that some cases are handled in both statutory and traditional courts.
Dr Mnangagwa said while someone who commits murder may be sentenced in a modern court, the spirit of the deceased (ngozi) must still be appeased through traditional means.
“We thank the Chief for showing us how such cases are handled here in traditional courts,” she said. “In our society, some cases are judged twice, first in modern courts and again in traditional courts.”
“Cases of witchcraft are not recognised in modern courts, but today we have seen that the Chief acknowledges them under traditional law. Our traditional leaders still hold the power to handle such matters. Let us continue respecting them and our culture to maintain our social fabric.”
Dr Mnangagwa urged citizens not to abandon traditional values in favour of Western culture.
Culture and Heritage Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa shares her insights during a traditional court session at Chief Chitanga’s traditional court in Chivi on Wednesday.
“If we do not unite and address these issues, our culture will be lost,” she said. “We will continue to support traditional courts.”
The First Lady also addressed various social ills, speaking strongly against promiscuity and urging women to uphold family values.
“Women, let us desist from promiscuity. ‘One leg inside, one leg outside’ destroys families. A home is built by a woman, let us stand firm and take responsibility,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa reminded the community about her toll-free number, 575, which allows citizens to report gender-based violence and other social issues.
Mother Zimbabwe also called on families to fight child marriages, drug and substance abuse, and domestic violence, including cases where men are victims, while promoting love and respect in homes.
The First Lady condemned homosexuality in schools and rising cases of rape, urging learners to remain disciplined and focused on their education.
She further engaged social groups, including boys, girls, youth, in-laws, and the elderly, in discussions aimed at tackling social ills and reinforcing moral values.
Part of the crowd that attended Chief Chitanga’s traditional court session and also interacted with Culture and Heritage Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Chivi on Wednesday.
Learners raised concerns over drug abuse, describing it as a growing menace leading to hooliganism in schools. They said awareness campaigns were being rolled out to curb the problem.
A daughter-in-law drew laughter from the audience when she remarked, “Our husbands are coming home high on drugs and failing to perform in bed.”
An elderly, energetic woman captured attention as she lamented the rise of prostitution.
“I am deeply pained by the issue of prostitution. It is a cancer destroying many families. Both young and older women are engaging in it, leading to the breakdown of homes,” she said.
Another woman urged her peers to work hard and be self-reliant.
A 70 year old woman shares her views discouraging promiscuity mostly on married women saying its the reason many are dying young during an interactive session with Culture and Heritage Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Chivi on Wednesday.
“My husband deserted me around 2010 and went abroad, but I managed to send my children to university by selling farm produce. Now I’m reaping the rewards,” she said.
A son-in-law lamented changing attitudes after marriage, saying, “I used to be given water to bathe, but that changed with time. It’s such things that push men to seek attention elsewhere.”
A mother-in-law encouraged women to uphold marital responsibilities, saying bedroom intimacy helps keep families united and that no one is too old for such duties.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Ezra Chadzamira, praised the First Lady for promoting traditional systems that foster unity and moral uprightness.
An elderly man expresses his concerns about women who secretly consult prophets without their husband’s knowledge and end up being raped during an interactive session with Culture and Heritage Ambassador First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Chivi on Wednesday.
“As Masvingo Province, we are proud of your work,” he said. “You’ve empowered widows and women through programmes like Agriculture for She. You also pioneered the rehabilitation model for drug addicts, and we now have our own centre inspired by your initiative.”
A philanthropist par excellence, Mother Zimbabwe also donated food hampers to the elderly, persons with disabilities, and child-headed families.
Dr Mnangagwa, who is also Health and Child Care Ambassador, toured an immunisation centre during the programme, encouraging mothers to ensure that children aged nine to 59 months are vaccinated under the ongoing national measles-rubella campaign.
Driven by her passion to restore moral values and social order, the First Lady continues to draw on Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage as a wellspring of enduring solutions to social challenges and a foundation for building responsible, patriotic citizens.
