Branton Matondo

Traditional leaders and social custodians in Mutare have raised concerns on of rituals acts performed in water bodies saying they angered the spirits which led to the death of two young men at Fern Valley dam recently.
Fern Valley dam was another death scene on the 6th of August when two young men drowned while trying to save another young man and a lady prophet who was alleged to exorcising or performing a ritual ceremony with a lady prophet.
Speaking to TellZim News, Ward 10 Councilor Calvin Matsiya said though death incidences occur on yearly basis the tolerance of ritual acts popularly referred to as ‘Mashai’ was getting worse in Fern Valley and result in death cases to who wanderers in the waters.
“People are coming for Traditional rituals (Mashayi) in the dam. Recently a group led by a prophetess came and while she was performing rituals on a young boy. The prophetess and two other boys were drowning and two the now deceased brothers came to their aid but they drowned instead.
”It’s still not clear what form of ritual was the prophetess conducting on the boy but what is clear is that she was also about to drown but the two young men came and saved them.” Said Matsiya
Mhakwe Heritage Foundation Trust (MHFT) Director and traditionalist David Mutambirwa told TellZim News that water bodies were sacred places and proper ritual processes should take place to appease the spirits.
“Water bodies are sacred places and are habitat of spiritual powers. They should be respected and rituals should are performed to appease the spirits. Any form of abomination can anger the spirits and that could lead to harm or loss of life. We argue our people to respect our sacred places to minimize chances of angering the spirits.” Said Mutambirwa
He went on to say people were is not recognizing and respecting sacred places which he said were many in Mutare and Manicaland as a whole.
“We are not observing the sacred places due to other influences for example Christianity, ignorance among other omissions. We have departed from our cultural norms and values,” said Mutambirwa
In 2022 a young boy from Dangamvura drowned while swimming in Fern Valley dam and another student who had just joined Manicaland State University (MSU) drowned in the same dam while swimming.
Fern Valley dam was constructed for recreational purposes before independence, however, cases of people drowning under mysterious circumstances are common.

Staff Reporter

BIKITA – Zion Apostolic Church 1923 (ZAC 1923), one of the biggest African Indigenous churches in Zimbabwe leader Felix Masuka was allegedly kidnapped and stripped naked by people suspected to be from his young brother’s faction, with whom he has been fighting for the leadership of the church following their father David Masuka’s death.
This was revealed by the church’s leadership at a press conference held at Flamboyant Hotel recently to clarify allegations that the youthful leader was caught in a compromising position with a married woman.
Masuka’s deputy Edward Rinoganya said the incident happened on August 7, when the Bishop left his home escorting him (Rinoganya) to his home in Zaka. On his way back he was allegedly kidnapped by two men.
“On his way back he stopped near Mandadzaka to greet his nephews who stay close to the road, and that’s when two men arrived and dragged him out of the car demanding to know if he was Bishop Masuka, telling him that was the end and they wanted to kill him.
“They stripped him naked and dragged him to a certain homestead in Chihumo village, where they locked him up and started beating him thoroughly. They went on to take pictures of him naked and shared them on social media,” said Runoganya.
He went on to say the assailants took his phone and called the last number on his call log which happened to be that of the church chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa who is also Zanu PF provincial chairperson and the Bishop managed to call out that he had been kidnapped.
He went on to say Mavhenyengwa then called the bishop’s place to inform people who went on to report the matter at Chikuku police base.
“Mavhenyengwa called some guys who stay at the Bishop’s place and they rushed to inform the police who reacted and proceeded to the homestead where they found the bishop still locked and the people celebrating saying they wanted to see how the bishop will preach after the incident.
“The police ordered for his release and gave him his clothes that had been left in his vehicle which had been left open and idling.” said Rinoganya.
Mavhenyengwa said though the matter was still in the hands of the police, they suspect that the suspects are linked to the bishop’s rival camp led by his young brother who failed to command a following after leading a breakaway faction.
He said the incident was not new as there have been several attempts on the Bishop’s life which they link to the same people.
“We suspect that the assailants had been sent by the Bishop’s young brother who is fighting for the church leadership since there has been several incidences which we suspect again to be from the same people,” said Mavhenyengwa.
Masuka took over the reins of the church following his father David Masuka’s death in 2015.