Muzarabani – A family from Headman Mazhuwana’s village under Chief Kasekete is grappling with a series of devastating misfortunes, leaving them destitute and desperate for answers. Shupikayi Chimombo (44) is suffering from a debilitating condition affecting his hands and feet, while his nephew, Tichaona Julius (33), is blind. Both believe their afflictions are linked to witchcraft.
Chimombo’s ordeal began in 2021. He describes his suffering vividly: “My problem started in 2021 with ulcerations in my hands and feet (kufunuka nekusvuuka mukati metsoka nemumaoko). I was living in Chadereka with my family, working the land, when I was allegedly cursed through ‘kunokorwa tsoka’. Soil mixed with juju was used to inflict this illness upon me. The curse was also placed on my hands, which are now also ulcerating.”
The festering wounds cause him constant pain, leaving him unable to work or even wear shoes. He explains, “I constantly have to massage my hands and feet with stones to ease the pain, but they continue to fester.”
The pain is so intense that it prevents him from eating hot food and performing even basic tasks. He adds, “I suffer from this illness; I can no longer wear shoes or walk properly. My hands ulcerate so badly that I can’t eat hot food. The pain prevents me from using tools to work.”
Adding to his physical suffering, Chimombo describes experiencing unseen entities moving around his body. His family’s plight has been compounded by the alleged sabotage of his crops by relatives, leading to severe food insecurity.
He recounts, “It started with the theft of my crops by relatives who are said to have used witchcraft. I used to harvest 15 to 20 tonnes of maize or groundnuts annually. Now I barely have enough to feed my family, and on top of that, I’m afflicted with this terrible illness!”
This desperate situation has forced him to sell all his livestock and possessions, leaving him and his family with nothing.
Chimombo’s nephew, Julius, shares an equally harrowing tale. His blindness began in 2003, after a ploughshare flung dust into his eyes while he was herding cattle.
“One day while ploughing, I was herding cattle, when a ploughshare threw up dust into my eyes. My eyes burned intensely, even after washing them. After a few days, my left eye closed,” he recalls.
The condition worsened, resulting in complete blindness in both eyes by 2008. Despite seeking treatment at St Alberts Mission Hospital, his vision did not improve. He explains his current situation and the financial burden it represents: “My right eye started hurting and swelling until it also closed in 2008. The problem is that St Alberts Hospital requires US$350 for a scan, which I don’t have. Even here in Harare, hospitals are expensive, and I don’t have the money to cover my uncle’s and my own medical expenses.”
The blindness prevented him from completing his Grade 7 exams and has left him unable to work, adding to the family’s already dire circumstances. He describes his current reality:
“Now I only see blurry shapes. I also have dreams where I’m intimate with many women I don’t know. I’ve never been married. A close relative assured me that no matter where I go, this problem won’t be solved, but I haven’t done anything to deserve this,” he says.
Chimombo and Julius, both originally from Chadereka, Muzarabani, near the Mozambique border, now find themselves in Harare, seeking help. Chimombo is currently staying with a relative in Retreat, Waterfalls, while Julius remains with him, hoping for a solution to their respective afflictions.
The family’s struggles are further exacerbated by the fact that one of Chimombo’s children was injured in a car accident, leaving them permanently disabled. The family’s situation is dire; Chimombo’s wife is pregnant, and they lack even the basic necessities. He laments,
“Here in Harare, I came hoping to find mining work, but that’s impossible now because my hands are too damaged. My wife and children, including my pregnant wife, need clothes for the new baby, but we have no money. I used to go to Mozambique to buy clothes and fish to sell, but I can no longer do that, so my family is starving,” he says.
Both Chimombo and Julius have consulted numerous traditional healers and prophets, all to no avail. They have also sought medical attention at Chadereka Clinic and St Alberts Mission Hospital but have received little relief. Chimombo describes his fruitless attempts to find a cure.
“I’m currently staying with a relative in Retreat, Waterfalls (Harare), seeking treatment, but money is scarce. The same applies to my nephew who went blind. Traditional healers and hospitals demand money. I went to Chadereka Clinic and was given pills, but nothing changed. I’ve tried various remedies, including hot sand and seawater treatments, but nothing has worked,” he laments.
Dr Enock Maidah of the University of Zimbabwe urges both men to seek help from qualified medical professionals. He states unequivocally, “Both men need to see qualified doctors. Their problems are treatable; they need medical attention.”
