Ulunyoka kingpin opens up

Gibson Mhaka
CONSIDER the sad tale of a 16-year-old Bulawayo boy who claimed a snake was entering his body through the foot and eating his privates following sex with a married woman?

Or that of a Zvishavane man who died at a Bulawayo hospital after his manhood elongated to knee-level after he allegedly had sex with a headmanaï¿½ï¿½s wife?

As if that is not enough, how about a Gokwe woman whose privates mysteriously vanished after a dalliance with a married man?

In all these cases, the victims were believed to have suffered from a spell traditionally known as ulunyoka/ runyoka surreptitiously administered to their unsuspecting lovers by their spouses.

Ulunyoka/runyoka is typically used by people who suspect their spouses of aï¿½?playing away from homeaï¿½? in extra marital affairs.

Through this ritual, a person aï¿½?fencesaï¿½? his or her spouse so that they do not have sexual relations with other people.

Meanwhile, as debate continues to rage around this aï¿½?central lockingaï¿½? ritual practice in Zimbabwe, one self-styled traditional healer, Eddington Virimayi of Bulawayoaï¿½ï¿½s Emakhandeni suburb is growing popular for administering it to both men and women.

Speaking to B-Metro Virimayi defended his aï¿½?evilaï¿½? ways of punishing philandering men and women saying although it seized many with fright it was a safety lock to enforce fidelity in marriages.

Virimayi popularly known as SaManyika made headlines in 2014 when he claimed to have successfully carried out a penis enlargement treatment on one of his clients Manzinde Chimanimaniaï¿½ï¿½s manhood which the latter also confirmed to have grown from about 4cm to an impressive 17cm.

Basing on the number of local people he claimed were visiting him to have their lovers locked or unlocked, there is no doubt Bulawayo is now a aï¿½?hot spotaï¿½? for ulunyoka/runyoka.

aï¿½?I started this viable business in 2004. I know people will be surprised why I am calling it a viable business. This is because I am earning a living out of it.

aï¿½?Most people who consult me all seek similar services, which are either locking their lovers, getting unlocked or seeking enchantments that can bring back lost lovers,aï¿½? said Virimayi, adding that most of his clients were women of all walks of life.

Virimayi said temptations in the field of love, led most people to think of using ulunyoka/runyoka to safeguard their marriages.

He added that although there were a lot of recorded cases of people who fall foul of ulunyoka/runyoka, most people still didnaï¿½ï¿½t believe and understand how it works or is administered.

Virimayi explained:

aï¿½?One comes with a padlock key, pubic hair and underwear of a person he or she wants to be locked. The charms are found in various forms and with varying effects.

aï¿½?There are many types of ulunyoka/runyoka with common ones being rwebanda or knife, mukonyambwa, hokonya, and ruware/dwala, which is usually given to daughters by their parents to stop them from engaging in premarital sex.

aï¿½?As the name also suggests, whenever a man tries to have sex with that girl her private parts mysteriously disappear leaving a plain like area with nowhere to penetrate.

aï¿½?To undo the enchantment, the girl is to take her boyfriend to her parentsaï¿½ï¿½ home where he is given the same medicine so he is not affected by it when they have sexaï¿½?.

He said mistresses and prostitutes were also not spared in the race for his spells as they want to use it on their boyfriends so as to starve the rival woman and to aï¿½?fixaï¿½? clients who refuse to pay the agreed fee respectively.

Of late Zimbabwe National Traditional Healersaï¿½ï¿½ Association (Zinatha) president George Kandiero said although ulunyoka/ runyoka was not approved by traditional healers, it was widespread in most parts of Zimbabwe. .