Sundaymail Editor
Theseus Shambare
EPWORTH is never short of astonishing tales, which at times sound fictitious yet true.
The area has in the past been infamous for being a hub for drug and substance abuse, including gender-based violence (GBV).
Cases of “paBooster” ladies of the night that accept amounts as low as US$0,50 for their services have also made headlines.
It appears a new wave involving miracle stuntmen has taken the dormitory town by storm.
Their acts, popularly known as “mabhidhiri” ,have literally become a profession.
The term mabhidhiri is derived from supposed Holy Spirit seizures, the falling and rolling that one goes through after visiting shrines run by fake pastors.
Collusion
Idle youths and thigh vendors in the teeming settlement of Epworth have found a golden opportunity to fatten their pockets by forming unholy synergies with the fake prophets.
They are getting ’employed’ as stuntmen.
Most of the activities take place at Domboramwari, one of the busiest business centres in Epworth.
The stuntmen get thorough training before they are deployed to different church sites within the area.
Some pretend to be blind, lame or even insane depending on what the “would-be healer” prefers.
The number of churches has tremendously increased, with some leaders employing dirty tactics to win followers.
Ironically, Domboramwari means ‘God’s rock’ as old settlers regarded it as a holy place, claiming that God physically walked on the rock and left eternal “one-size-fits-all footprints”.
False testimonies
Unfortunately, the place has become a hub of con artists who deceive in the name of God.
Several people are being hired to give false testimonies to lure more followers.
The more the congregants, the more tithes and offerings a church gets.
The Sunday Mail Society managed to interview some of the people involved in the acts.
Richard Maribi (52), who claimed to have retired from the trade, said he has been a recruiter since 2011, working closely with ‘false’ prophets.
“I would speak to them in clear terms. I would tell them, ‘I want real actors since we are going to be acting and everything must appear real’. After rigorous practice, I would then deploy them (stuntmen) to different churches depending on the specifications of a particular prophet,” said Maribi.
He claimed most of his communication with the supposed prophets was done through the phone.
He added that his friend, who is now based in South Africa, forced him into the practice after he formed a church that did not do well.
“He gave me money and told me to recruit and pay people to fake miracles at his church.
“I was going through a rough patch and could not resist the lucrative offer since I had a wife and five children to take care of,” revealed Maribi.
The “success” he registered with his friend created more links for him.
As “business” boomed, he claimed to have managed to build a well-furnished five-room house on his late father’s stand and opened a small tuckshop which he intends to turn into a big shop.
His colleague, only identified as Adam, was rude and not forthcoming.
“Ko tauraya vanhu here? (Have we killed anyone?) We are trying to earn a living, so just let us be, please.”
‘Better evil’
A commercial sex worker, well known around Domboramwari shops by the name of Rhumba (36), confirmed taking part in mabhidhiri.
“This is a better trade compared to the risky thigh vending, which exposes me to sexually transmitted infections and robbers. Besides, the returns are quick and guaranteed,” said Rhumba.
Investigations by this publication revealed that the actors get at least US$10 for their effort during a church service.
“It is all about getting money and taking care of our families,” she added.
Chiedza Ganhire (not her real name), a single mother of three from Epworth, said she is still actively involved in mabhidhiri.
She shockingly revealed that she had to pretend to be mentally ill in Chitungwiza for a week as part of her stunt.
“The apostolic church had a great gathering, with many people coming from different church branches across Harare and Chitungwiza. The church had made public invitations for people to come and get healed.
“I would travel to Chigovanyika Shops in Chitungwiza early morning for the whole week and dress in torn and dirty clothes, making sure I got noticed by local people acting insane,” she said with a chuckle.
Ganhire claimed to have pocketed US$100 from the church leader and several donations from congregants after she was “healed”.
“It was not an easy task but I pulled through. What happened is that during a church service, the man of God claimed he was seeing a mentally challenged woman who was roaming around the shops.
“He said I was bewitched, so he sent his aides to come and pick me up so that I could get deliverance.
“When they came to me, I went berserk as rehearsed, proving my mental instability. I later gave in.
“They prayed for me and I received some holy water.”
Ganhire said after “deliverance” she told the congregants that she was from Headlands and did not know how she had ended up at that gathering.
She added that she knew what she was doing was wrong but her circumstances were forcing her to act like that.
Just recently, a video clip of a popular self-styled Bishop Kevin Nyamukanga making confessions of having been in the same trade made waves on social media.
“I speak from experience. Some of these ‘miracles’ are not from God’s power but gimmicks … We used to do this before I repented,” said part of the confession.
Zimbabwe Young Christian Founders and Ministers Association (ZYCFMA) president Pastor Lloyd Jarrison condemned the practice.
“There is a disturbing trend of false preachers who are capitalising on the tough economic conditions to con people of their hard-earned money,” he said.
He urged the authorities to look into the matter and come up with laws that severely punish those caught on the wrong side.
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