The quiet serenity of Tengwe, a rural community nestled in the heart of Karoi, has been shattered by a chilling tale of witchcraft and its alleged devastating consequences. Partson Chasakara, a 71-year-old man who now resides in Unit D, Chitungwiza, claims he has been robbed of his sight after a terrifying encounter with a group of naked witches at his rural home.
The incident, which occurred on the 10th of October 2018, has left Chasakara and his family grappling with a profound sense of loss and fear. He vividly recounts the day his life took a sinister turn: “I was sitting on a chair outside my home in Tengwe, around 4 pm. Suddenly, I saw four women, completely naked and covered in mud, approaching the area where we dispose of rubbish. Their mouths were unusually long, almost a metre in length. They stared at me, and I was completely bewildered.”
Chasakara, who was alone at the time, was overwhelmed with fear. “These people, including two I recognised, stood by the rubbish pit, staring at me. I was petrified and the only thought that crossed my mind was to flee.”
As he contemplated his escape, the witches began to move, led by someone he believes was their leader. “They formed a circle and then walked towards my tobacco drying shed, disappearing towards the east,” Chasakara explains. He says as they left the rubbish pit, they all turned to look at him, hissing and stamping their right feet loudly on the ground.
Chasakara, who suffers from high blood pressure and is on medication, says that after the witches vanished behind the tobacco drying shed, he began to experience a series of unsettling sensations. “My eyes started to see mist and smoke, and I felt faint. I told my neighbours, who advised me to seek help from prophets and traditional healers, but nothing worked.”
The eye problem worsened over the next two days, and Chasakara eventually lost his sight completely. “My wife and family started looking for answers, and we were told that the people in our village who wanted me dead were behind this. They apparently had already used their charms on me, even though I had not seen them.”
Chasakara and his family sought solace and solutions from prophets and traditional healers, but their efforts proved futile. “We tried going to prophets and traditional healers, and I was promised that I would regain my sight, but nothing helped,” he says.
With his sight gone and hope dwindling, Chasakara turned to hospitals, where doctors diagnosed him with glaucoma. “I went to various hospitals, including Chitungwiza and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, and the doctors told me I had glaucoma. I’ve spent a fortune on medical bills, traditional healers, and prophets, but nothing has helped.”
Chasakara’s blindness has had a devastating impact on his family. “I need help to regain my sight, as my farming work and other activities at home have been severely affected. I have a wife and nine children who depend on me to help them with farming and cattle herding,” he says.
Bishop Mateo Mupfumbati, a Harare-based cleric, believes that Chasakara was attacked by evil spirits, causing his blindness. “Witches don’t operate in the open; this man was attacked by witch-dogs, which are evil spirits. He was attacked after seeing those naked women. He needs help,” he says.
Dr Hikwa, a medical professional from Harare, encourages Chasakara to seek help from qualified eye specialists. “This whole situation requires that this man goes to an eye specialist for a proper diagnosis and follow their instructions to receive treatment,” Dr Hikwa says.
Rayton Munonoki, a resident of Harare, also believes that Chasakara was attacked by evil spirits when he saw the witches.
Chasakara’s story has left the community of Tengwe in a state of unease and uncertainty. While the cause of his blindness is yet to be definitively established, his experience underscores the enduring power of belief in witchcraft and the fear it can instill in communities. It also highlights the importance of seeking professional medical help and the need for critical thinking when dealing with claims of witchcraft.
