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Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Correspondent
A NYANGA man who for the past two years has been tormented by an invisible hand which has been snatching kitchen utensils from his family members during meal preparation time can now sleep easy after paying the eight cattle that was required for the ordeal to stop.
However, the elderly man is still eating at his neighbours’ house as he is yet to gather enough courage to cook sadza at his own home.
Handing over the cattle to the Tsvito family at acting Chief Saunyama’s court last week on Friday, Josphat Mapfidza said his life is now getting back on track as his wife has already promised to move back to their matrimonial home.
“Ever since I promised to pay the cattle two weeks ago, I have not experienced any mysterious occurrences at my home. However, I’m not yet sure if the invisible hand will now stop haunting me as l am still afraid to cook at home. Neighbours have been helping me out with food,” he said.
For the past two years, the Mapfidza family has been forced to survive on either rice or eating at neighbours’ houses as a mysterious invisible hand has been snatching cooking sticks from them whenever they try to prepare a meal that requires the utensil.
This had seen family members deserting Mapfidza whom they accuse of causing all the mishaps.
Matsidza of Tombo Village is alleged to have stolen a black satchel from a fellow villager, Collins Tsvito (Junior), during one of acting Chief Saunyama’s court sessions in 2018.
It is alleged that the bag contained three stones that had been collected from where Tsvito (Junior)’s father, Collins Tsvito (Senior), died during the liberation war.
Tsvito Senior was a freedom fighter.
Senior Tsvito’s remains were recovered on Mapako Mountain and were reburied at Matumba Six Heroes’ Burial Site near Old Mutare Mission.
It was said the late Senior Tsvito had instructed his son to collect the three stones and place them on his grave.
The bag also contained 400 litres fuel coupons, US$40 and some bank cards.
The money and fuel coupons had been given to Cde Tsvito’s son by the Fallen Heroes’ Trust of Zimbabwe to facilitate the exhumation and reburial of his late father.
Mapfidza, however, insists that he did not steal the bag, but someone trapped him into taking it.
Narrating his ordeal recently, Mapfidza told acting Chief Saunyama’s court that all hell broke loose the moment he arrived home with the bag.
Upon consulting traditional healers, the Mapfidza family was told that the stolen bag was behind their woes.
“I thought the bag was mine and only realised that it was not mine when I got to Nyanga town. Inside my bag were lunch boxes but the one l got had two stones. I made a mistake by taking the bag home instead of returning it to this court,” claimed Mapfidza who is now partially blind.
“Every day I was seeing images of armed fallen liberation war heroes instructing me to bring back their friend’s bag. They stayed with me until last month when I promised to appease Cde Tsvito’s spirit with the cattle. They were with me 24/7,” he said.
He said whenever he went to sleep, the armed comrades would knock on his doors and budge inside.
“For the past two weeks, I haven’t been seeing these men and I haven’t been hearing their knocks on my doors. This gives me confidence that all will be well with my family again,” said the man with great relief.
When Cde Tsvito’s spirit manifested on Peter Magada, a Rusape prophet, he promised to set Mapfidza free once eight cattle were given to his family.
“When all is paid up, I will set you (Mapfidza) free. Your life will be back to normal because you would have learnt a big lesson. Please do not be greedy and steal other people’s property. This man (Mapfidza) has to appease my spirit because of his greediness,” said the spirit.
Acting Chief Saunyama told the Tsvitos that if Mapfidza’s woes do not end by March 11, he will send his messengers to take the cattle back to him.
Online Reporter