The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo Sunday Leisure Reporter
“THERE is no pride that beats that of a man’s need to satisfy his sexual partner. Yes, good and satisfying sex separates men from boys, ladies from girls and is the permanent cure to marriage wreckages whose statistics have been soaring,” said 72-year-old Johannes Matumbu of Gokwe who claims that he provides African remedies to various sexual problems as well as STIs.
Although the masculinity quest to prove sexual prowess by men in a bid to satisfy their women has been in existence since time immemorial, Matumbu submits that he had a powerful array of concoctions that boost sexual drive in both males and females.
He said with his mixtures marital problems emanating from partners’ low sex drive and promiscuity caused by failure to derive sexual pleasure as well as any other bedroom problems would be a thing of the past.
He also brags that through a mixture of his herbs he can make barren women conceive.
Low libido especially among some men has over the years given rise to the production of a range of sexual stimulants and sex enhancement drugs that have hit markets worldwide, as the sexually active seek to ensure that their partners are thrilled during and after love-making.
Sexual enhancement drugs from as far as Asia and West Africa have over the years found their way into the country through unconventional means and most of them are sold on the black market as doing so on an open market can lead to a tussle with the law since trading in these drugs is prohibited in the country.
However, Matumbu’s traditional sexual enhancement concoctions and herbs are selling like hot cakes at Gokwe South district’s service centre.
A visitor to Gokwe may not know Matumbu who like most traditional healers and herbalists is never dressed smartly. He can easily be mistaken for a vagrant or just an old ragged man carrying a filthy bag, loitering around the densely populated Gokwe centre.
One would probably think that he is soliciting for a few coins to survive — maybe buy something for a bite that can make him wind off his day with a full stomach.
However, there is one little secret that most people do not know. The grubby little bag that he carries around contains the arsenal used by most men to effectively fulfil their sexual expeditions or encounters.
He is sought after by the working population of Gokwe both males and females intent on getting their sexual problems solved. He has also become popular with business people some of whom he said were now traditional customers as he supplies them now and then.
His sexual enhancing herbs and concoctions which sell for a $1 to $3 have also become the real deal among local imbibers and haulage truck drivers that frequent Gokwe centre.
Through selling the herbs, Matumbu claims he makes about $30 a day and on a good day he can even fetch as much as $50.
“There is a high demand for my herbs especially among haulage truck drivers and those that are fond of taking wise waters. I have an array of herbs, which function in different ways but all of them improve men’s sexual prowess,” he said.
The herbs come in the form of a powder, dried twigs or leaves while some can be taken as a concoction.
Matumbu says low libido in men has resulted in numerous marriage wreckages but his herbs are a remedy to prevent such destruction of unions as they have the ability to “get the desired bedroom results”.
“Many marriages or relationships have been destroyed due to erectile dysfunction or low libido. Traditionally men have to sexually fulfil their women and as such our ancestors used herbs to deal with erectile problems,” he said.
Erectile dysfunction is the inability to develop and maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual intercourse or activity in the absence of an ejaculatory disorder such as premature ejaculation.
The veteran herbalist believes natural sexual enhancement herbs are the best as these do not have any health complication after use compared to modern clinical drugs.
“Modern sexual enhancement drugs have after effects but such cases are rare when one uses natural African traditional herbs. I therefore strongly discourage people from taking these new enhancement drugs,” Matumbu said.
He said he mostly targets night drinking spots and haulage truck drivers that frequent Gokwe to ferry agricultural produce as they tend to have high sexual “appetite” due to the nature of their job.
“Most men that drink beer tend to develop high sexual appetite but because most of them have developed low sexual esteem due to alcohol abuse they end up seeking my services to enjoy their sexual romps.
“I also enjoy a very good customer base among haulage truck drivers as these end up having some sexual escapades with a wide range of women or prostitutes as they spend most of their time away from home,” Matumbu said.
Apart from selling sexual enhancement herbs, Matumbu says he also provides natural remedies for curing various types of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).
He said that was so because a number of people were embarrassed to be seen at clinics to have STIs cured.
The 72-year-old is a painter by profession, a career which he started in the 1950s working for a number of engineering and construction companies in the capital, Harare.
He said his ability to use herbs to cure a number of ailments was passed onto him by his ancestors.
“My grandfather was a herbalist as well as my father. I think this ability to administer natural herbs was passed from one generation to another within our family.
“I only practise (being a herbalist) it more as a hobby because I eke out a living through painting but since it augments what I get from my profession I will continue doing it,” Matumbu said.
