EDITORIAL COMMENT: Modern society has no place for tsikamutandas

04 Dec, 2016 - 00:12 0 Views
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Modern society has no place for tsikamutandas Nigerian activist and writer, Leo Igwe

The Sunday News

Nigerian activist and writer, Leo Igwe

Nigerian activist and writer, Leo Igwe

In his article, Understanding Witchcraft Accusations in Africa, a Nigerian activist and writer, Leo Igwe, goes to great lengths to explain how the belief in witchcraft has been in existence for a long time in most parts of the world.

He explains that even outside Africa, there are many who believe in witchcraft, dating back to the 16th century with a case reported in Scotland.

“The first major witchcraft persecution in Scotland was in late 16th century when the ship of King James VI ran into some terrible storms on its way from Denmark. The wife of a Danish official, who had insulted a member of the escorting team, was accused of trying to sink the King’s ship through witchcraft.

The King believed that the storm was not natural but an act of malevolent magic by those who wanted to kill him.

The necessary machinery was put in place to fish out the criminals. Several people were arrested, implicated, tortured, and made to confess in the massive witch-hunts that ensued. Agnes Sampson, John Fian and others were convicted of using witchcraft to send the storm against the ship.

Fast forward to 21st century Africa. In 2009, the aunt of an African President died and the President suspected that she was killed through witchcraft. “The President hired some witch doctors who went into villages accompanied by the police and state security agents.

They flushed out those suspected of perpetrating the crime, arresting all those identified as witches. The suspects were detained, tried, and forced to drink some concoctions. Amnesty International brought attention to the witch hunt which caused pressure on the authorities. All those detained were later released, though a few died in detention and some suffered some health damage. Most of the people arrested where poor rural dwellers who were not in any position to resist arrests and maltreatment.”

While most African societies, including some Zimbabweans believe that there are people who use magical powers to cast spells on others, or use various objects to inflict harm on perceived enemies, we believe victimising people in the name of looking for witches is wrong.

Witch hunters, better known as tsikamutandas, have been with us for a long time, causing havoc and untold suffering to mostly the rural folk.

Defenceless elderly people in most parts of the country have lost valuables like cattle and goats to witch hunters as payment for allegedly possessing objects used for witchcraft purposes.

We are glad the Government has finally put its foot down and pronounced that witch hunters are illegal. Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said last week that tsikamutandas were not licenced to conduct witch hunting activities.

We believe traditional leaders who welcomed such people into their areas, and even forcing people to pay some money for “consultation” which was said to be for witch hunters, got the message loud and clear. In a statement, Dr Mushohwe said during a Cabinet meeting last Monday, such activities were declared criminal, fraudulent and extortionist.

“Cabinet noted with much regret and concern that a significant part of traditional leaders embracing chiefs, headmen and village heads are by commission or omission condoning this evil, primitive, extortionist and illegal practice that is condemned by our national laws.

Furthermore, the unscrupulous perpetrators and accomplices of witch-hunting have misrepresented to communities claiming that they had been permitted by the Government authorities to carry out the illegal activity,” he said.

Dr Mushohwe said the Government was calling upon anyone who might have fallen victim to witch-hunters to report the matter to law enforcement agencies so that the culprits could be brought to book and compensation paid.

“The Minister of Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of Culture and Heritage, Honourable Abedinico Ncube has been directed to, working closely with law-enforcement agencies and traditional leaders, ensure that the repugnant extortionist practice of witch-hunting is immediately brought to an end countrywide,” he said.

 

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