Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
Misunderstood, misconstrued, misinterpreted and in some circles feared, is the best way to describe Sekuru Chimoto.
Born Musiiwa Walter Manduku, Sekuru Chimoto (60) who resides in Kwekwe leads a life that draws a lot of attention, but a few understand his way of living, let alone appreciate it.
Clad in traditional regalia, Sekuru Chimoto controls the bicycle with one hand while the other holds an arrow, knobkerrie and a whip.
Three or four dogs are always in hot pursuit of his bicycle, leaving many gripped by fear.
He has been in jail more than 10 times for the same crime — illegal possession of marijuana and has been poisoned a number of times, but he has lived to tell his story.
He has been spotted far and wide the spectrum of the country riding his bicycle, armed with bows, arrows, knobkerries in one hand while the other holds the bicycle handle, his dogs in tow.
Such a picture leaves many wondering what type of person Sekuru Chimoto is.
His first and second wives left him as they failed to comprehend his way of life.
Saturday Leisure recently tracked down the iconic self-proclaimed traditionalist, nationalist and freedom fighter to have an appreciation of his life.
It was easy locating him at his Mbizo 7 residence as almost everyone knows him for playing music loudly with big speakers hanging precariously from his fruit trees.
Despite him owning a three-roomed house in the Mbizo suburb, Sekuru Chimoto usually spends time in his backyard shrine where one is ordered to remove their shoes before entering.
“I do not want your shoes here Sinyoro. Remove them or you will cross paths with me. Ooh I remember you now, you once called me while I was on my way to Mbembezani. You are welcome, feel free,” said Sekuru Chimoto while tidying up his shrine which also serves as his kitchen and bedroom.
“Sekuru Chimoto is a name that I earned from beating up people. I got it during the war of liberation where it was given to me by my uncle as I used to get arrested a lot for beating up people,” he explained.
But who is Sekuru Chimoto?
“I was born in Uzumba and that’s where I did my primary education until the war came upon us in 1974 when I was doing Grade 6. We left school to join the liberation war. We were born the three of us, but we never knew our father,” he explained.
One can be forgiven for concluding that Sekuru Chimoto is a traditional healer, a title he vehemently dismissed.
“I am not a n’anga,” he said.
“I do not heal people, all I do is consult the spirits on your behalf and give you proper guidance. I can also refer you to traditional healers, but I am not one.”
He said he relocated to Kwekwe as the war of liberation approached its end.
“Remember I told you that I never knew my father neither did I know my totem. But it all started during the liberation war when the spirits told me my totem and where I could find my father’s relatives. That’s when I left Uzumba in 1979 during the Lancaster House talks and came to Kwekwe where I found my uncle who was working at Ziscosteel. Since then I never went back,” he said.
He also worked at Ziscosteel between 1986 and 1995.
Sekuru Chimoto said he is aware that most people do not understand him, but said some blow things out of proportion.
“I can define myself as a nationalist and revelation soldier, both physically and spiritually. I know that people say a lot about me. I heard one saying I enter supermarkets with my dogs and bicycles, but that’s a lie. Although I move around with them, they do not enter supermarkets,” he said.
Interestingly, since 1995, he has never boarded a vehicle. “I ride my bicycle to any part of the country. Recently I was in Masvingo and I was hit by a vehicle. I almost died but the spirits saved me. I’ve been to almost every part of the country using my bike. If I am to board a vehicle, I have to consult the spirits and they guide me accordingly,” he explained.
On travelling outside the country, Sekuru Chimoto said he has done so many times without a passport.
“What do I need a passport for? I’m a nationalist and this Africa is one. I’ve told them at the border that you can arrest me if you want, but I’m walking to South Africa and I’ve done so. I went to Cape Town and back without any passport,” he quipped.
The one time he rode on a Tombs bus, he did not pay a dime.
Shedding light on his other ‘secrets’, Sekuru Chimoto said: “I do not drink council water for it contains chlorine. I drink either rain water or from underground. If I am to bath with council water, it has to be shower alone and soon after, I use my special glycerin body lotion. Otherwise, most of the times, I go to Sebakwe Dam where I do my bathing,” he said.
As part of his medication, he said he uses marijuana which has landed him in jail on several occasions. “I was in jail from 2017 to 2019 over trumped-up charges of being in possession of marijuana. Mbanje is a herb and I use it as part of my medication.
I have produced papers that prove that I am allowed by doctors to use the plant as medicine, but they keep arresting me. I’m not going to stop and in fact, the matter is before the courts as I sued the police and a magistrate over the arrest and sentence,” he said.
While in jail, Sekuru Chimoto went on a hunger strike, clocking more than a month without eating, surviving only on water.
Also in jail, he claimed to have been poisoned more than 10 times, but survived.
“I was poisoned 12 times to be precise. They tried to kill me but only God can take my soul, not another human being,” he said.
Sekuru Chimoto has four children.
His neighbours are now used to him with children enjoying his company as they are fascinated by him. They enjoy spending time with him while eating maputi and listening to his folktales.
As this reporter was leaving Sekuru Chimoto’s residence, he said he intended to buy brand new speakers as people stole his old ones when he was in jail. When he buys them, he will put them on their usual spot, the tree and play music nonstop.
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