The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Correspondent
For the past two years, a Nyanga family has been forced to survive on either rice or eating at neighbours’ houses as a mysterious invisible hand has been snatching cooking sticks from them whenever they try to prepare a meal that requires the utensil.
This has seen family members deserting an elderly Josphat Matsidza whom they accuse of causing all the mishaps.
Matsidza of Tombo Village which falls under Chief Saunyama’s area is alleged to have stolen a black satchel during one of Acting Chief Saunyama’s court sessions in 2018.
The bag which belonged to a fellow villager, Collins Choto, is suspected to be behind the mysterious occurrences at the old man’s homestead.
After enduring endless torments, Matsidza last week gathered enough courage to return the bag to its rightful owner through Acting Chief Saunyama.
Choto was also present at the court.
Inside the bag were two stones which Matsidza allegedly thought were pieces of gold.
However, it emerged that the stones were ritual pebbles that were picked from where Choto’s father died during the liberation struggle.
Senior Choto’s remains were recovered on Mapako Mountain.
It was said the late Senior Choto had instructed his son (Collins) to collect the two stones and place them on his grave.
Narrating his ordeal, Matsidza told Acting Chief Saunyama’s court that all hell broke loose the moment he arrived home with the bag.
He said during the first few weeks after taking the bag home, he had recurring weird dreams of people gathered at a funeral.
He almost lost his vision.
“My wife deserted me after the mysterious hand started grabbing the cooking stick from her hand every time she tried to make a meal.
“The mysterious hand does not want anyone to prepare a meal with a spoon or wooden cooking stick. It just grabs the utensil from you and takes over the cooking. It is scary,” he said.
He said his children also deserted him and are now based in Mutare and Harare.
They have never set foot at his homestead ever since they left.
Matsidza further explained that since noone had the guts to eat food prepared by the invisible hand, the family was left starring starvation in the face.
“After cooking the food, the hand picks the lid and places it on the pot. Noone has the guts to open that pot and dish up. At first we would go to our neighbours and extended family’s homesteads to eat, but it just got worse,” he said.
Matsidza said he is surviving on rice as he can prepare it without stirring the pot.
He said this is now eating into his shallow pockets.
“It is getting expensive and I cannot continue buying and eating rice. I need help, maybe Choto can help by engaging his late father’s spirit. I have suffered enough,” he pleaded.
Matsidza claimed that when he took Choto’s bag, he thought it was his since he had a similar one.
“I thought the bag was mine and only realised that it was not mine when I got to Nyanga town. Inside my bag were lunch boxes but the one l got had two stones. I made a mistake by taking the bag home instead of returning it to this court.
“I have had the bag and its contents for three years, something that I am ashamed of. I beg for forgiveness from the Chotos,” said a remorseful Matsidza.
When Choto lost his bag, he reported the matter to the chief.
“Those stones were supposed to be placed on my father’s grave. We had not yet re-buried him then, and we later had to do so without those stones. I do not know whether this mysterious hand belongs to my late father or not. All l can do is take the stones to my father’s grave and place them there as planned. We will wait to see whether Matsidza’s problems will persist,” he said.
Acting Chief Saunyama advised the two families to seek spiritual help and find out whether the mysterious occurrences are a result of the stolen bag or not.
The matter was adjourned to February 11.
