Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
THE desire to enhance performance in bed turned fatal for four men from Chiadzwa after they succumbed to a suspected aloe vera concoction, popularly known as guchu.
Disaster struck last Sunday after six men consumed the concoction that was meant to detox the body and boost their performance in bed.
Two of the men, Munyaradzi Mutande (25) and Jacob Matambo (27), are battling for life at Mutambara Mission Hospital where they were admitted after the fatal experiment.
Authorities at the hospital said the two’s condition is still critical.
National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the incident, which shocked the diamond-rich area, and raised serious questions about the dangers of unregulated traditional medicines.
Mutande and Matambo in a police vehicle after being discharged from the hospital
Commissioner Nyathi identified the victims as Joseph Myambo (45), Robert Muchawaya (28), Brighton Gwenzi Chibhoso (27), and Kudakwashe Marambire (44), who were pronounced dead on arrival at Chiadzwa Clinic.
All the four bodies are now at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital mortuary awaiting post mortem.
When The Manica Post visited the Chiadzwa area on Monday, the atmosphere was grim, with an unsettling disbelief hanging over the community.
Interviews with witnesses painted a gloomy picture of how the seemingly harmless concoction triggered a fatal disaster that plunged the whole village into deep mourning.
The Manica Post crew gathered from one of the deceased’s friends, Mr Simbarashe Mutepfa, that the concoction was intended to prepare Myambo for an encounter with his second wife, scheduled to visit him on Monday.
“Myambo told us that he wanted to cleanse his body and enhance his performance ahead of his second’s wife visit. He even telephoned her in our presence, telling her that he would be ready for her.
Simbarashe Mutepfa
“That is when he prepared the concoction, which unfortunately led to the unintended fatal consequences,” said Mr Mutepfa.
Mr Mutepfa said he also narrowly escaped death together with Mr Obert Tavarwisa, adding that they were lucky to delay sipping the concoction as they were on cooking duty.
“We would otherwise have perished with the other guys, but the cooking duty saved us. We told them that we would take the concoction after finishing preparing supper. The moment I was about to take it, our colleagues who had taken it prior started complained of abdominal pains, writhing in agony. At first, they were laughing as if they were high on drugs, but their condition deteriorated quickly,” said Mr Mutepfa, visibly shaken.
Mr Mutepfa went on to describe how his colleagues’ pain worsened, leading to the multiple deaths.
“They bitterly complained of weak joints. They struggled to talk, saying it felt like there was a force pressing down on their cheek bones,” he said.
Apart from Messrs Mutepfa and Tavarwisa, four other men were supposed to drink the concoction, but were spared by time and chance.
Mr Tavarwisa said Myambo was the brains behind the concoction, boasting that it would cleanse and detox the body, and enhance performance in bed.
He said Myambo recently came to Chiadzwa, posing as a herbalist with vast knowledge in men’s health, and it was unclear how he came up with the inherently poisonous mixture.
Precious Masuka
“He arrived last week, masquerading as one of the best herbalists in the country, capable of fixing erectile dysfunctional in men and rekindle their potency.
“On the fateful day, he went out alone to collect the ingredients. There was aloe vera and another plant I did not recognise, which he chopped into pieces, boiled and drank to prove its safety,” said Mr Tavarwisa.
The five other men took turns to drink the concoction, unbeknown that they were having a sip of death.
“After about five minutes, the six started complaining of abdominal and general body discomfort. Matambo, who had arrived late and saw the other guys writhing in agony, also took the concoction, thinking the pain was a sign of its effectiveness,” he said, adding that the pain worsened, spreading panic among the group.
“Mutande quickly realised that something was wrong and asked for water, which he drank in large amounts. He also induced himself to vomit, which saved him and Matambo. But for Myambo, it was too late as he was the first to drink, and by the time the others started reacting, his condition had rapidly deteriorated,” said Mr Tavarwisa, adding that the late Muchawaya reportedly refused to drink water despite being advised to do so.
Ms Precious Masuka, the owner of the homestead where the fatal incident happened, expressed displeasure over accusations by the Myambo family that she had a hand in his death.
She said Myambo’s relatives refused to cleanse the area where his body laid for the whole night, despite being ordered to do so by the village head.
“They are accusing us of killing him despite the police discovering various herbs and roots in his wallet.
“They threatened us, saying the truth will come out, and those responsible for his demise will face punishment.
“But it is Myambo’s concoction that led to the death of all these innocent men,” she said.
The tragedy has left the victims’ families devastated, as they are struggling to come to terms with events leading to the demise of their loved ones.
Mr Matthew Myambo, a brother to Joseph, said he was still struggling to understand how his brother ended up being involved in the whole debacle.
“I neither knew Joseph as a herbalist nor healer, and it is hard to accept that he travelled to Chiadzwa to meet his death four days later, which is why maybe we have had some misunderstandings with Ms Masuka and her family. It is very painful,” he said, adding that Joseph left behind a pregnant wife and three children.
Similarly, Ms Charity Bameyi, the widow of the late Marambire was overwhelmed with grief.
“He only took a cup of the concoction, and within 30 minutes, I was told, he had died. Now I am left with three children to raise alone. I do not have the means to transport his body back to Seke in Chitungwiza. I do not even have bus fare to get home. I appeal to anyone who can help to assist us,” she said tearfully.
Mattew Myambo
Health experts say while aloe vera is highly regarded for its medicinal benefits, improper preparation, and use of toxic aloe species can have fatal consequences.
Of the more than 400 aloe species, three – aloe ballyi, aloe elata, and aloe ruspoliana – are known to be poisonous.
These varieties produce a sap with distinctive rat-like odour, which serves as a natural warning of their toxicity.
Taking aloe vera is quite popular among men, with the herbs readily available for sale for as low as US$2 at Sakubva Musika.
Medical expert, Dr Tendai Zuze said the medical potency of aloe vera to enhance sexual prowess is not well-established scientifically.
“While aloe vera is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-boosting properties, evidence supporting its effectiveness in improving sexual performance or libido is lacking. While it may offer general health benefits, the lack of robust clinical evidence makes it difficult to measure its effectiveness for this specific use. I do not think it helps at all,” he said.
Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) president, Mr George Kandiero, stressed the importance of expertise in preparing herbal remedies.
“This is exactly why Government has put in place measures stipulating that people who prepare these herbal medicines should be registered, and not every Tom and Dick. It remains unclear whether the plant used in the mixture was inherently toxic or if a poisonous substance was added to it.
“Traditional medicine can be effective, but it requires astute knowledge and due diligence in preparing and consuming. Ingesting herbs without proper preparation can be deadly. Every remedy must be tested to ensure safety, and individuals should only take concoctions prepared by experienced herbalists,” said Mr Kandiero.
