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Problem Masau Features Correspondent
“The man is dangerous, always armed and unpredictable. His sons are experts in using bows and arrows. One cannot enter the lion’s den (his homestead) and come out unscathed. “Even police officers have to be cunning in dealing with him.
“A visitor definitely needs police escort,” says a police officer who welcomes The Herald at Cashel Valley Police Station.
We are there to inquire about a certain man by the name Kimpton Mutambara, who lives under Chief Mutambara in Chimani- mani.
Mutambara is well known throughout Chimanimani District.
Unlike his nephew, former Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara who is known for his penchant for eloquence and big English words, Kimpton’s fame stems from a decision he made 25 years ago.
The man simply shut himself and his family away from the outside world.
The mere mention of the name Kimpy, as his fondly called by those who know him, draws laughter, disbelief and fear.
He does not attend funerals or church, let alone go to the shops.
Kimpy buries his family members alone.
He does not go beyond the demarcations of his yard.
He did not know until our visit that his nephew, the robotics professor, was a Deputy Prime Minister in the just ended GNU.
Simply put, Kimpy does not associate with anyone in his neighbourhood.
He used to wear animal skins until recently when police donated second-hand clothes to him and his family.
The only people he associates with are his wife, two sons and three daughters who subscribe to his way of life.
The man is very temperamental though not always violent. He is usually armed with catapults, bows and arrows.
With this in mind, Officer-in-Charge at the police station Inspector Mafaka chooses his two best men to escort us.
Constable Hwengwere, who is a community relations officer, and Constable Zimowa, who has befriended Kimpy over the years, are chosen to carry out the task.
With two police officers in tow, photographer Tawanda Mudimu and I eagerly wait to see this self-imposed Mr Lonely.
“We are going to tell him it is just a routine visit to check on his welfare,” said Constable Hwengwere.
Kimpy’s homestead resembles a military base, where security is of paramount importance. His field is fenced by barbed wire, his homestead is walled by strong dry sugar cane and the gate is closed.
His sons loiter around armed with bows and arrows in the yard. The police officers have to announce our arrival before entering the yard.
The gate is opened by one of his daughters who is around 35 years but still single.
Kimpy is sitting at the padare (meeting place), his bow and arrows and catapults by his side.
The man has perfected the art of inspection. He has a strong memory and was born in 1931.
“You were here in March this year,” he said referring to Constable Zimowa.
Turning to this reporter, he said: “I do not know you. Who are you? Why are you here? Which political party do you support?”
Constable Hwengwere quickly interjects asking him about his welfare. Kimpy is shocked that the country is just coming from an election. He does not know the current affairs in the country.
He does not know the currency the country is using. He even asks the police officers to tell him if anyone from their neighbourhood had died.
The only time he smiles is when he talks of President Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
“We went to war because we wanted President Mugabe to be our leader. No one else should lead the country. I voted in 1980 and my vote still counts,” he said.
True to his word, Kimpy’s house has designs of a cock, pangolin, Great Zimbabwe ruins and a message “Zanu PF Forward and Let’s Rebuild Zimbabwe”.
He speaks briefly on why he shut himself from the outside world.
“I have come to realise that in life I am surrounded by traitors. I decided not associate with this bunch of village idiots,” he reveals.
His frustration is highlighted in the name of one of his daughters called “Munozodaani”.
He says he did not want his children to attend school because they are taught worldly things.
“The best teacher of a child is his parents, in schools they are taught to be traitors,” he adds.
His children are adults but remain unmarried fuelling speculation among villagers that they engage in incestuous relationships.
The oldest son is almost 45 and the youngest daughter is 29.
Kimpy is “allergic” to cellphones and cameras. I do not want any pictures. I have to vet you first,” he warns.
Our photographer has to devise ways of taking pictures without being noticed or upsetting him.
Kimpy has rich orchard that resembles the biblical Garden of Eden. The garden has sugar cane and trees that include mango, lemon, orange, bananas, matohwe and paw paw among others.
“I have all the fruits you can think of. I also keep goats and chickens here. I do not need anything from the outside,” he says.
Even the animals are kept in such a way they do not interact with the outside world.
He cultivates crops in his field. He has an inexhaustible water supply, thanks to a water canal built in 1911 that passes through his homestead.
The strange thing about Kimpy is that he buries his relatives alone. When his father, who was a chief, died he buried him in his yard going against the traditional custom of burying chiefs in a nearby sacred mountain.
Other villagers are still to come to terms with what happened to him.
Mbuya Sophia Kuretu, who was born in 1928 and grew up together with Kimpy, said he completely transformed in 1992.
“I used to be his friend since the time of the liberation struggle; he was a very good person.
“We would drink traditional beer together but for the past 25 years, I have never met him though we are neighbours,” she complains.
Chief Mutambara, who is a close relative of Kimpy, says he has resigned to fate.
“He should do whatever he wants. I am appealing to Government to help me exhume and rebury his father who was a chief for 27 years. He buried him in his (Kimpy’s) homestead, something that is against our tradition,” he emphasises.
Says Chief Mutambara: “The spirit medium is constantly warning us about impending danger if we do not rebury our chief.”
Asked if Kimpy would be chief one day since he is the heir apparent, Chief Mutambara does not mince his words: “He is never going to be a chief because no village headman will ever endorse his candidature. A chief is guided by certain principles and Kimpy does not have those principles.”
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