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Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
HE got global attention for his healing prowess following reports that he had sent baboons to recover a long outstanding debt from a defaulter, thereby attracting clients from as far as the United Kingdom.
The video of Freddy Tatenda Mutani a.k.a Sekuru Chihwa reversing the baboon curse on his client, Innocent Ndaruza, at The Manica Post Building went viral.
Within weeks, Sekuru Chihwa was back in the limelight, this time claiming that he had caused a “witch” to crash-land on an aborted mission in Nyanga.
However, while basking in the glory of his new found fame, skeletons are beginning to tumble from his closet.
The Nyanga community began to question whether Sekuru Chihwa is genuine or a prankster.
First to flag Sekuru Chihwa’s alleged shenanigans is a United Kingdom-based client, a Nhliziyo, who claimed that he paid Sekuru Chihwa US$100 for his services via electronic transfer.
Nhliziyo claimed that some people who owe him thousands of US dollars are not willing to pay him back.
After watching Sekuru Chihwa in action, he was convinced that he had found the right person to deal with the loan defaulters.
Nhliziyo claims that Sekuru Chihwa promised to deliver favourable results in the shortest possible time, but days have turned into weeks with no joy for him.
In an unsolicited interview with The Weekender, Nhliziyo said: “I approached Sekuru Chihwa for his services so that I could recover my money from those who owe me. I expected that by now I would have received favourable results from Sekuru Chihwa’s debt collecting baboons, but nothing has materialised.
“I decided to fly to Zimbabwe, but it seems like I have wasted a lot of money through hotel bookings on this futile journey. It is almost a month with no action from the baboons. I paid him US$100 for his services.”
Nhliziyo claimed that when he made follow-up phone calls to Sekuru Chihwa after paying him, the traditional healer would tell him that he was busy.
Sekuru Chihwa then stopped picking up his calls. When our news crew connected Nhliziyo to Sekuru Chihwa through a teleconference, he demanded his US$100 back, with the traditional healer refusing to budge as he insisted that the money now belongs to his ancestors.
An adamant Sekuru Chihwa said he could not dictate to his ancestors, pointing out that he is always busy at his shrine.
“The truth is that we cannot instruct our ancestors on how to execute their job or the timeframe that they are supposed to accomplish a mission. I have a man who is complaining that it has been two weeks since he consulted me for my services and he has not received a breakthrough, that is not my fault.
“On a daily basis, I receive more than a hundred people seeking my services, but because I am only a human being used by my ancestors, I cannot deal with all these matters at once.
“Also you cannot force my ancestors to deliver in the timeframe that you want. People need to be patient while waiting for what they desire. You simply cannot dictate for quick responses when dealing with ancestors. People need to respect my shrine and ancestors,” Sekuru Chihwa fumed.
However, following a viral video of an alleged witch who was reportedly trapped at Sekuru Chihwa’s shrine, The Weekender travelled to Nyanga for more insights on the intriguing drama.
Sekuru Chihwa’s shrine is located in Bore Village, Nyanga. It was alleged that the alleged witch, Sharlene Mananana, was travelling from Mozambique where a coven of witches had forcibly taken her when her winnowing basket crash-landed at Sekuru Chihwa’s shrine.
Mananana’s matter is being dealt with at Chief Hata’s court. Most villagers at Mangondoza Business Centre which is near Sekuru Chihwa’s homestead believe that the crash-landing drama was stage-managed.
They also claim that Mananana was paid to act as a witch.
“The truth is that before the day she was caught naked, Mananana was spotted in a vehicle that brought her here at Magondoza Business Centre and started looking for Tatenda (Sekuru Chihwa).
“The scars on her face are very visible, one would never mistake her for someone else. A number of people saw her disembarking from the vehicle that brought her here.
“We were all shocked when we heard that she had been caught stark naked at Tatenda’s shrine. Whether Sekuru Chihwa is genuine or a prankster is debatable but the truth will eventually come out,” said a villager who requested anonymity.
Another villager believes that Sekuru Chihwa’s acts are stage managed to attract more clients.
While The Weekender had a torrid time in trying to find neighbours who could comment on the authenticity of Sekuru Chihwa on camera, most of them claimed that his tale is a complex story of deception, superstition and fear.
Only a few professed their faith in the authenticity of the spiritual young man.
Sekuru Chihwa’s father, Charles Mutani, distanced himself from the whole issue saying he is yet to be informed that his ancestors are using his son spiritually.
“I cannot comment on this matter because we will end up not seeing eye-to-eye with my son. I was never informed that my son is now a traditional healer. I just see him conducting his traditional healing from a distance.
“However, people have been approaching me with some complaints and I just refer them to the responsible authorities. I cannot answer for my son’s shenanigans,” he said.
However, Sekuru Chihwa said he is not a fraud and insisted that he is a vessel for his ancestors, while attributing the criticism to envy. He said his community lacks knowledge on spiritual matters.
“Many people fail to comprehend that this vocation is restricted to a selected few. I am the chosen one and I am fulfilling the role that my ancestors entrusted me with.
“However, I would appreciate if you reveal your sources of information. If you cannot, then I will ask my ancestors to intervene. Perhaps, I made a mistake by allowing journalists into my shrine because you are now disrespecting it,” he said, clearly losing his patience.
He went on to say that if the reporters continued questioning him on the matter, he would deal with them.
“You are working on rumours and they tarnish my shrine’s image. You are also angering my ancestors. I have my Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association (ZINATHA) papers. Whoever thinks that I am a dubious healer should visit my shrine,” he said sternly.
The Weekender also got a chance to speak to the alleged witch, Mananana, and her uncles, who on the day had visited Sekuru Chihwa’s shrine for spiritual assistance.
Mananana said Sekuru Chihwa told her that she had been forced by witches to “fly” to Mozambique on the fateful day.
“I honestly do not know what happened except for the fact that I woke up at this shrine while stark naked. Sekuru Chihwa told me that some witches had taken me to Mozambique and that I refused to work with them in the foreign country. He said the witches abandoned me there. I heard that I tried to come back home, but crashed at this shrine,” she said facing downwards.
However, her uncles who were very convinced that nothing had been stage-managed begged Sekuru Chihwa to assist their niece spiritually so that the alleged witches would not continue tormenting her.
In an interview, ZINATHA president, George Kandiero said there is rampant abuse of the association’s name, with people faking membership cards and operating their dubious traditional healing business across the country.
He said they will investigate the matter and ascertain whether Sekuru Chihwa has authentic ZINATHA papers or not.
“I have just been talking to some people here who were also duped by a healer who was faking his membership. We have a legal department and our members are bound by a code of conduct that we operate with, and acting dramas and stage managing events like what you are saying is against our code of conduct.
“We investigate such matters and most end up being referred to the police for further management,” he said.
However, at the time of going to print, Kandiero was yet to confirm Sekuru Chihwa’s membership status.
Sekuru Chihwa said he has temporary closed his shrine and will open it mid-November.
Online Reporter