Stern Warning from Traditional Healers: Pay Up or Face Curses and Consequences!
In a spine-chilling turn of events, traditional healers in Zimbabwe have issued a dire ultimatum: settle your bills or suffer the wrath of curses. The unsettling incident unfolded when a man, Innocent Ndaruza, failed to pay a US$150 fee to Sekuru Chihwa, a renowned traditional healer from Nyanga. Seeking retribution, Sekuru Chihwa allegedly unleashed baboons to demand payment, leaving Innocent and his wife terrified by the persistent voices demanding their dues within the confines of their own home.
Mr. Ndaruza shared that his wife had faced difficulties conceiving for several years until they sought the services of Sekuru Chihwa. Following their consultation, his wife successfully became pregnant. Interestingly, Mr. Ndaruza’s father fell ill as soon as his wife conceived, confirming a prediction made by Sekuru Chihwa that the person causing their problems would fall ill upon his wife’s pregnancy.
For his services, Sekuru Chihwa charged Mr. Ndaruza a fee of US$150, payable over two months. However, due to losing his job a month after the consultation, Mr. Ndaruza was unable to fulfill the payment within the agreed time-frame. Despite later raising the money and attempting to reason with Sekuru Chihwa, the traditional healer refused to accept the payment, citing the expiration of the agreed-upon time-frame.
As foretold by Sekuru Chihwa, baboons now regularly visit Mr. Ndaruza’s homestead, sometimes appearing individually and other times as a whole troop. These unusual visitors sit in the yard and demand the money owed to Sekuru Chihwa. Moreover, the voices demanding payment would be heard both during the day and at night.
The disturbing incident was first reported by State publication, Manica Post. However, there seems to be a twist in the tale, as Sekuru Chihwa claimed to have lifted the curse on Monday, offering a glimmer of hope to the beleaguered couple.
George Kandiero, the president of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA), shed some light on the matter. He emphasized that people should recognize that the services provided by traditional healers are their livelihood. Kandiero drew a parallel between their practices and other professions, stating that people readily pay significant sums for consultations or medications, yet fail to honour their financial obligations to traditional healers. He urged individuals to respect and compensate traditional healers for the services they render, emphasizing the importance of a fair exchange.
While Kandiero acknowledged that Sekuru Chihwa’s actions were not condoned, he emphasized the need for better mechanisms to address such disputes. Meanwhile, veteran traditional healer Sekuru Banda justified the incident, likening it to carrying an umbrella during a rainstorm. According to him, individuals tend to forget about the umbrella until it rains again, highlighting the importance of honouring financial commitments to traditional healers.
It is crucial to find a harmonious resolution to such matters, as the repercussions can be far-reaching. While the methods employed by Sekuru Chihwa may have crossed ethical boundaries, it serves as a reminder to honour and respect the services provided by traditional healers to prevent such incidents from occurring.
As tensions escalate between clients and traditional healers, it remains to be seen how this alarming warning will impact the relationship between seekers of traditional healing and the practitioners themselves.
