The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube
Post Correspondent
THE Covid-19 national lockdown is taking its toll on all spheres of life, including religion, such that faith and traditional healers are also bearing its brunt.
With their pockets hit hard as their followers cannot visit them as before, they have been forced to take their healing sessions online.
Cognisant of the fact that public gatherings are some of the Covid-19 super spreaders, Government banned them, including church gatherings.
The development has seen traditional healers, exorcists and faith healers modernising their art by breaking into the digital space and engaging their clients through the various online platforms.
Those interviewed by The Manica Post said one can consult a traditional or faith healer via a video or voice call and receive healing from various ailments.
Traditional herbs and concoctions are also sold online.
Believers claim to have broken spiritual curses and landed good jobs after the online consultations.
Some claim they fell pregnant after receiving spiritual blessings online.
Popular spiritual healers interviewed this week said online consultations are less time consuming.
Some of them now boasts of professional profiles and handles on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube, thereby widening their clientele to include those in the Diaspora.
Popular Nyanga traditional healer and exorcist, Sekuru Shingirai Mukotsanjera said although some clients were initially sceptical about the digital spiritual connection, many of them are now coming on board as testimonies of how various clients have been assisted keep coming.
Sekuru Mukotsanjera, who is a Covid-19 survivor, said observing physical distancing is crucial in curbing the spread of the virus.
“This disease is not a joke. We are now conducting our business over the phone and other electronic gadgets. We have gone digital and it is working.
“One client (name withheld), recently called me telling me that he was being haunted by his ex-girlfriend’s avenging spirit after she died in a botched abortion exercise as he had denied responsibility.
“I instructed him to buy several things for the rituals. I told him to put his phone on loudspeaker and follow the instructions l was giving him over the phone. The ritual worked.
“Families that are under the attack of avenging spirits are among my clients. I usually get the family members’ phone numbers and instruct them to conduct certain rituals. The guilty parties will be burnt and are forced to confess to their sins wherever they will be. These are the rituals that we normally perform during physical gatherings,” he said.
Dangamvura-based Madzibaba John Karembera, popularly known as Chiremba Chedenga of Johanne Masowe eChishanu Enyenyedzi Nomwe has also been holding online healing sessions since the national lockdown came into effect.
During the online sessions, Madzibaba Karembera says he exorcises evil spirits, prays for barren women and destroys goblins, among other things.
Madzibaba Karembera also claims that he has ‘go back to sender’ powers that can be delivered to perpetrators of evil deeds after online consultations with his clients.
“Men who have been ‘locked’ by their girlfriends and wives, citizens applying for visas and those seeking promotions at work are some of the people who have been engaging me through WhatsApp video calls or phone calls.
“I often just need the name of clients to assist them at my shrine (kuumba munamato).
“When a client has to provide the pictures of the people troubling him or her, or someone who requires healing, we do video calls to get those images. Through this, we have efficiently continued our spiritual exorcism sessions digitally without exposing each other to Covid-19,” he said.
Sakubva prophet, Madzibaba Skynage Marwakuona, said clients have not physically visited his shrine for more than a year.
“Sometimes I just need a name and surname to conduct a healing session. We are assisting clients through WhatsApp, Facebook and Zoom.
“My assistants (vasvondosi) and hired IT guys arrange meetings for me and I assist my clients from as far as South Africa. Some visit my Facebook page and I assist them in my inbox.
“Issues of goblins are being solved via the phone. If these rituals are done properly, immediate solutions come. A client needs to strictly follow instructions. I prefer WhatsApp video calls as they allow me to visually inspect progress.
“When it comes to goblins, they need to be burned according to my instructions. In such cases, my voice matters. It is all about spiritual connectivity,” he said.
Madzibaba Nzira, based in Hobhouse, Mutare, also has two vibrant WhatsApp groups where clients seeking spiritual help discuss their problems and remedies.
He is the sole group administrator.
“It is now a different ball game. I can now use my phone for consultation. Clients share their ailments, symptoms and other problems through my WhatsApp groups which are always full.
“Some of them engage me privately on Facebook or through phone calls and I have been able to help them without visiting my shrine.
“Online consultations are more private as some clients are shy to visit my shrines. Those with testimonies usually share them online. Those with tokens of appreciation also send them via money transfer agencies,” said Madzibaba Nzira.
