‘Marange avenging spirit (‘Ngozi’) punishes four families for ritual murder committed in 1992′ (Zimbabwe)

To better understand the following reports I will first provide some background information on the phenomenon of ‘Ngozi’, or avenging spirits, in the Shona community.

Dr Terrence Musanga, an authority on the subject, explains it as follows:

“In Shona cosmology, once “ngozi” is committed, it has to be recompensed in order for restorative justice to occur between individuals, families, and the community in general. However, failure to appease “ngozi” results in inexplicable misfortunes such as sicknesses or eventual death or deaths of the person or persons who would have committed the “ngozi.”

Also, Timothy Myambo is the author of an interesting book on Ngozi, entitled ‘A Biblical Evaluation of the Avenging Spirits (Ngozi): A case of the Shona people of Zimbabwe‘ (2010) which is also useful for better understanding the phenomenon. This is what he says about ‘Ngozi’, the avenging spirits:

“Avenging spirits, commonly known as ngozi by the Shona people in Zimbabwe, are one of the most feared and mysterious spiritual manifestations among African people particularly the Shona. Denying the existence of ngozi would be comparable to burying one’s head in the sand and ignoring reality (source: A Biblical Evaluation of the Avenging Spirits (Ngozi): A case of the Shona people of Zimbabwe: A pastoral response).

The main reason for posting here a case of ‘ngozi’ forces – the first article below, entitled ‘Castration the ultimate price for ngozi‘ – is because it relates to a ritual murder committed nearly 30 years ago. Subsequently, in order to demonstrate that this case is not an isolated case of ‘avenging spirits’, I have added a second, recent case, however, not related to a murder for ritual purposes. Ngozi forces are not limited to avenge a ritual murder. A third case, presented here, again refers to ngozi seeking to avenge a ritual murder, committed some 45 years ago (in 2013, when the case was reported).

A fourth case, ‘Ngozi Haunts Marange Family‘ (dated March 6, 2021), allegedly refers to a ritual murder too. Unfortunately, the page is not accessible for technical reasons. As soon as it will be restored I will include the corresponding link here.

To conclude here a final remark: I do not pretend to know more about ‘ngozi’ than the average reader. Therefor, I have no opinion or judgement on this phenomenon. The focus of this site is on ritualistic activities based on superstition and motivated by an unstoppable greed for power or wealth and which are a violation of people’s human rights.That’s why I am presenting these reports.

Warning: the following articles contain graphic details which may disturb the readers.(webmaster FVDK).

Castration the ultimate price for ngozi

Published: February 26, 2021
By: The Manica Post –  Tendai Gukutikwa, Post Correspondent

Four Marange families are at the mercy of an avenging spirit that is allegedly castrating its victims and killing them soon afterwards.

The avenging spirit is now demanding 50 beasts as compensation from the five families. 

The Manica Post understands that male members from the Mukanjari, Denga, Ndova and Mauchaza families who have fallen victim to the avenging spirit woke up with blisters all over their bodies. 

Suddenly their private parts fell off, leading to their instant deaths.

The spirit of Ruwizhi Makondo Mashato, who was allegedly murdered 29 years ago, is claiming that this is how he was killed by members of the aforementioned families. 

Through manifestations on various members of the families, Mashato claims that his private organs were chopped off by his five neighbours before his head was cut off for ritual purposes.

His body was later dumped in a well.

Two of the alleged murderers – Dunmore Mukanjari and Dorcus Ndova – are still alive; while the rest – Manzinde Denga, Godfrey Denga and Agnes Mauchaza are now dead.

Mauchaza committed suicide a few years ago after being tormented by Mashato’s spirit.

The matter has since spilled into Chief Marange’s court and Mukanjari has confessed that he did take part in Mashato’s murder. 

Ndova, however, insists that she had nothing to do with the murder. She says she only witnessed the crime. 

However, the avenging spirit claims that Ndova held the dish that collected his blood as the gruesome murder was being committed in 1992.

Speaking to The Manica Post, Dorcas Ndova’s nephew Takesure Chadambuka said his family is going through hell due to Mashato’s avenging spirit.

“We need her (Ndova) to address this issue as a matter of urgency before we perish like the Denga family. The Denga homestead has been turned into a grave yard. 

“Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey were part of the gang that murdered Mashato. It is so scary because we do not know who is next. My brother died last year in December because of this avenging spirit,” said Chadambuka.

Following Mukanjari’s confession, Chief Marange said the matter needs to be handed over to the police.

“In matters like these, both the traditional and criminal courts should be involved. The perpetrators need to appease the avenging spirit and serve jail terms upon their conviction,” said the traditional leader.

Veresy Mutungwazi, who married into the Mukanjari family, said she has lost five children to the avenging spirit. 

She said her late sons all woke up feeling weak and with blisters all over their bodies. 

Their private organs fell off before their sudden deaths.

“I am only left with two children and I fear for their lives if nothing is done. I pray that someone will knock some sense into my father-in-law’s head so that he appeases this spirit. It is not fair to lose my children because of someone’s evil deeds. 

“After my first child’s death, we all thought he had succumbed to a rare disease. But eyebrows were raised when the next child died in the same manner a few months later. After the death of my second child, Mashato’s spirit began manifesting and revealing all these details. The spirit has threatened to wipe off the entire Mukanjari family unless it is appeased,” said Mutungwazi.

Mercy Nyaude, who also married into the Mukanjari family, said two of her children have also died in the same manner.

“Some of the family members died after bleeding from their private organs. Their private organs were mysteriously chopped off, and then they died.

“Mashato’s spirit says he suffered excruciating pain when his private organ were cut off by his murderers, hence all the victims should go through the same ordeal. 

“The avenging spirit is also targeting our livestock and most of our cattle and goats are now blind. Some of the livestock’s sexual reproductive organs also mysteriously disappeared,” said Nyaude.

Chief Marange said some of Mashato’s remains was recovered from the well it had been dumped for proper burial.  

However, Mashato’s son, Harrison, claims his family never received their late father’s remains for re-burial.

“I do not know where the remains were put when they were retrieved as I was very young then. We never buried my father’s remains. In fact, he is also manifesting in our family asking for closure on the case through a proper burial,” said Harrison.     

The chief is also unaware of how the remains were handled as he was not yet in office when they were retrieved from the well.

“I hear it took them three days to find some of my father’s remains. These men and women were our neighbours and we never suspected that they had a hand in our father’s disappearance,” said Harrison.

Source: Castration the ultimate price for ngozi

Related article (based on the previous article in The Manica Post):

Horror As Marange Avenging Spirit Castrates Killers’ Family Members

Distressed man (File photo)

Published: March 1, 2021
By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Tim E. Ndoro

In what reads like the script from a Nollywood ‘African Movie,’ an angry avenging spirit, Ngozi in local parlance, is reported to be castrating and killing family members of the alleged killers.

iHarare has learned from the Manica Post that the avenging spirit is haunting four families from the Marange area in Manicaland. According to reports, the Ngozi is affecting the male members of the Mukanjari, Denga, Ndova and Mauchaza families. Those who are unfortunate to be attacked, are reported to have developed blisters all over their bodies. Once the blisters break out, their private parts mysteriously fall off and they die.

According to the families of those affected, the avenging spirit belongs to Ruwizhi Makondo Mashato who was allegedly murdered by members of the four families for ritual purposes in 1992. Mashato’s private parts were allegedly chopped off first before his head was decapitated by five of his neighbours.

Those who have been privy to the mysterious events claim that the avenging spirit said that Mashato felt excruciating pain when his privates were cut off. Because of this, all the victims of the avenging spirit must also feel the pain of losing their privates before they die.

Mashato’s avenging spirit is demanding 50 beasts as compensation from the four families.

The neighbours who are alleged to have killed Mashato 29 years ago are Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey Denga, Agnes Mauchaza, Dunmore Mukanjari and Dorcus Ndova. Only the last two, Mukanjari and Ndova are still alive. Mauchaza is said to have committed suicide after being tormented by the Ngozi.

Mukanjari already confessed to the murder when he appeared before traditional leader Chief Marange. Ndova on the other hand disputed taking part in the murder. She is claiming that she only witnessed the event but did not participate. The avenging spirit, on the other hand, is saying Ndova is the one who held the dish that was used to collect his blood during the horrific murder.

One of Dorcas Ndova’s relatives Takesure Chadambuka is begging his aunt to come clean on the matter. Chadambuka told the Manica Post: 

“We need her (Ndova) to address this issue as a matter of urgency before we perish like the Denga family. The Denga homestead has been turned into a graveyard.

“Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey were part of the gang that murdered Mashato. It is so scary because we do not know who is next. My brother died last year in December because of this avenging spirit,”

Veresy Mutungwazi, who married into the Mukanjari family told the publication that she has already lost 5 children to the avenging spirit.

“I am only left with two children and I fear for their lives if nothing is done. I pray that someone will knock some sense into my father-in-law’s head so that he appeases this spirit. It is not fair to lose my children because of someone’s evil deeds.

“After my first child’s death, we all thought he had succumbed to a rare disease. But eyebrows were raised when the next child died, in the same manner, a few months later. After the death of my second child, Mashato’s spirit began manifesting and revealing all these details. The spirit has threatened to wipe off the entire Mukanjari family unless it is appeased,” said Mutungwazi.

Following Mukanjari’s confession, Chief Marange said that the police need to be involved as well.

“In matters like these, both the traditional and criminal courts should be involved. The perpetrators need to appease the avenging spirit and serve jail terms upon their conviction,” said the traditional leader.

Mashato’s son, Harrison commented on the matter saying,

“I hear it took them three days to find some of my father’s remains. These men and women were our neighbours and we never suspected that they had a hand in our father’s disappearance,”

Source: Horror As Marange Avenging Spirit Castrates Killers’ Family Members

Then, the second case:

Drama As Avenging Spirit Demands 5 Virgins, 75 Cattle…36 Years After Businessman Was Murdered

Avenging Spirit Demands 5 Virgins, 75 Cattle…36 Years Later

The late businessman, Costa Kafikira (Image Credit: The Manica Post/ The Weekender/ Zimpapers Digital)

Published: December 12, 2020
By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Vincent Masikati

The biblical phrase, “the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the sons” has become a dark reality for five families from Nyanga as an avenging spirit is demanding compensation for a murder that was committed 36 years ago. The avenging spirit (Ngozi) is demanding 75 head of cattle as well as 5 virgins.

iHarare has learned from the Manica Post that the avenging spirit of the late businessman Costa Kafikira is seeking justice from the families of the 5 men who allegedly murdered him. Kafikira is alleged to have been killed by his then neighbours, Willard Sakupwanya, Charles Fombe, Tsakadzai Mautsi and Tambuzwa Matseketsa in 1984. The fifth neighbour has been identified only as Benyu.

The five are alleged to have conspired to murder Kafikira by poisoning his alcohol. They then robbed him of his valuables and dumped his body near the Gairezi River. All of the alleged perpetrators are now late except for Charles Fombe.

Kafikira’s spirit is now manifesting on Tambudzwa Matseketsa’s daughter-in-law, Riona. Riona is reported to be now dressing and speaking like the late Kafikira.

Riona Matseketsa dressed like the late businessman Costa Kafikira who is reported to be manifesting on her

Kafikira’s nephew Paul Dzinduwa narrated how his uncle had been brutally murdered.

“When my uncle left home the day he was last seen, he was dressed in the clothes Riona came wearing.

“We searched for him for years and could not find him. What hurts most is that the killers were part of the search team back then. They would mislead us knowing very well where they had dumped my uncle’s remains.”

On the issue of compensation, Dzinduwa said that his family would abide by the laws of the land and not accept the 5 virgins as the giving of a virgin girl for purposes of ‘kuripa Ngozi’ is a criminal offence in Zimbabwe. Dzinduwa, however, said, that the family is quite happy to accept the 75 head of cattle.

“The spirit is demanding a virgin and 15 beasts from each of the perpetrators’ families, thereby making it five girls and 75 beasts. We, however, stand guided by the laws of the land when it comes to compensation or appeasement of avenging spirits. We know that the appeasement of avenging spirits with girls, women or any human being was outlawed. All we pray for is justice to prevail so that our uncle rests in peace. We need justice.”

The Matseketsa family said that the matter needed to be dealt with urgently because their family members are dying in mysterious circumstances while others are battling for their lives. The late Matseketsa’s son, only identified as Matseketsa reinforced the point saying,

“We need to appease the avenging spirit and be at peace with the Kafikiras”

The other four families are yet to approach the Kafikira family.

Source: Drama As Avenging Spirit Demands 5 Virgins, 75 Cattle…36 Years After Businessman Was Murdered

The previous article was based on an article in The Manica Post, dated December 11, 2020:

Ngozi demands 5 virgins, 75 cattle

Nicholas Kafikira, the late businessman’s eldest son

Published: December 11, 2020
By: The Manica Post – Tendai Gukutikwa, Post Correspondent 

In a case that has left a Nyanga family at sixes and sevens, it is alleged that the avenging spirit of a businessman who was robbed and murdered by his five neighbours 36 years ago is demanding five virgins and 75 beasts as appeasement.

lt is said Costa Kafikira’s spirit is accusing his then neighbours in Tombo Village under Chief Saunyama — Willard Sakupwanya, Charles Fombe, Tsakadzai Mautsi, Tambuzwa Matseketsa and a Benyu of poisoning his alcohol, robbing and murdering him before dumping his body near Gairezi River.

Four of the alleged murderers are now late, save for Fombe.

Kafikira’s family says they stand guided by the laws of the land and will not accept human beings as appeasement for his loss of life.

They, however, will accept the 75 beasts.

The late businessman, Costa Kafikira

Said Kafikira’s nephew, Paul Dzinduwa, in an interview with The Weekender: “The spirit is demanding a virgin and 15 beasts from each of the perpetrators’ families, thereby making it five girls and 75 beasts. We, however, stand guided by the laws of the land when it comes to compensation or appeasement of avenging spirits. We know that the appeasement of avenging spirits with girls, women or any human being was outlawed. All we pray for is justice to prevail so that our uncle rests in peace. We need justice.”

It is said the avenging spirit is manifesting on Matseketsa’s daughter-in-law — Riona — who now dresses and speaks like the late Kafikira.

All this was revealed when the Matseketsa family recently approached the Kafikiras to chart the way forward.

Riona was clad in a pair or grey trousers, a red shirt and a tie. Kafikira’s relatives said the outfit resembles the clothes that Kafikira was last seen wearing.

Riona Matseketsa

“When my uncle left home the day he was last seen, he was dressed in the clothes Riona came wearing,” said Dzinduwa.

Kafikira was murdered in 1984 and his remains were discovered by herd boys three years later near Gairezi River.

His family identified him by his metal identity card and the family heirloom belt that was found near his skeleton.

“We searched for him for years and could not find him. What hurts most is that the killers were part of the search team back then. They would mislead us knowing very well where they had dumped my uncle’s remains,” said Dzinduwa.

The Matseketsas claimed that their family members are dying in unclear circumstances, while some are battling for their lives.

A Nyanga traditional healer, Sekuru Shingirai Mukotsanjera, advised them to appease Kafikira’s avenging spirit.

“Four family members have already died and the avenging spirit keeps telling us that more woes will befall the family. It is said my late father was one of Kafikira’s assailants and we cannot deny or accept the claim since he is now late. But if it is true, we are wallowing in poverty because of my father’s transgression.

“We need to appease the avenging spirit and be at peace with the Kafikiras,” narrated the late Matseketsa’s son, only identified as Matseketsa.

Kafirika’s eldest son, Nicholas Kafikira, said he was deprived of his father’s love and care by the killers as his father was murdered while he was still in his youth.

The matter is yet to be brought before Chief Saunyama’s court.

Kafikira said his family will take the matter to the chief’s court when the remaining four families approach them.

Source: Ngozi demands 5 virgins, 75 cattle

Then, the third case,

Ngozi demands compensation 45 years later

Published by The Manica Post on March 1, 2013, as reported by Ray Bande on Facebook

AFTER being murdered for ritual purposes by her husband almost 45 years ago, a Nyanga woman is now demanding reparations from her husband’s Mandikonza family in Nyanga.

The Mandikonza and Mavhunga families were left stunned at Chief Saunyama’s court in Nyatate area of Nyanga North last Friday when a female teenager possessed with the spirit of the late Tanganza Mavhunga demanded reparations and threatened to ruthlessly deal with the Mandikonzas.

The late Tanganza, who was married to the late Jack Mandikonza, manifested herself through a female teenager as she chronicled how she was cold-bloodedly murdered by her husband.

All hell broke loose recently when the possessed teenager walked for more than 10km from her home and went straight to sit in the ruins of the homestead where the deceased Jack Mandikonza used to stay with his late wife, Tanganza.

As she narrated Tanganza’s ordeal at the hands of her husband during the court session last Friday, the possessed teenager pledged to show the Mavhunga and Manikonza families the shallow grave where her remains were buried by her late husband.

“My relatives, you ought to know what happened. One day I packed my clothes and went away from Jack Mandikonza’s homestead. “As I was walking, about a few metres from the homestead, Jack followed me. He grabbed my hand and demanded that we should go back home. I refused. Since it was dark, he instantly took a knife and cut the lower parts of my breasts and went on to cut off my private parts.

“My relatives, I beg you not to touch anything that belongs to the Mandikonzas. My husband’s brothers Cosmas, Webster, Lazarus and Oliver bought cars and livestock after they used my body parts for rituals. “I will wreck havoc very soon in the Mandikonza family and I plead with you my relatives not to touch anything that belongs to the Mandikonza family.“

When you are ready, I can guide you to the place where Jack buried me near Nyanga Downs between two big rocks. That is where I have been lying since Jack murdered me. They made a fortune out of my blood, but I will deal with them,” fumed the possessed teenager.

The deceased woman’s aunt, who also attended the court session last Friday, said Jack Mandikonza was the one who later approached the Mavhunga family saying his wife Tanganza had disappeared.

“We were made to believe that Tanganza disappeared. In fact, it was Jack, the husband, who came to our elders in the Mavhunga family, saying his wife was nowhere to be seen. However, our fathers did not accept it and have always suspected foul play.“

For years, we were made to believe that Tanganza eloped to a Malawian lover and never came back. However, it seems as if chickens are coming home to roost because several unexplainable things have been happening in our family. She (Tanganza) appeared in my dreams recently bitterly complaining about our (Mavhunga family)’s silence over her disappearance,” she said.

In his ruling, Chief Saunyama adjourned the matter to next Friday after summoning the Mandikonza family representatives.

Source: Ngozi demands compensation 45 years later

Murewa ritual killing: President Mnangagwa decries evil act (Zimbabwe)

The cruel ritualistic killing of 7-year old Tapiwa Makore in Zimbabwe inspired the president of this country, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to raise his voice against the killing of children for ritualistic purposes – because the gruesome murder of the young boy is not the only ritual killing case in his country. The police found evidence on the crime scene that more children had been murdered, possibly by the same suspect, Tafadzwa Shamba, a herdsman in the same village with the Makores.

Mnangagwa’s condemnation of ritual murders triggered the anger of an opposition politician, Paul Nyathi, who accused President Mnangagwa of hypocrisy. He accused Mnangagwa of several politically motivated murders. Moreover, while Mnangagwa was Minister of State for National Security – under then President Robert Mugabe – the 5th Brigade of the Zimbabwe National Army killed thousands of civilians in the Matabeleland region. These massacres, known as the Gukurahundi, lasted from 1983 to 1987, and resulted in an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 deaths. 

Warning: the following articles contain graphic details of a cruel crime (webmaster FVDK).

Murehwa ritual killing: President decries evil act

The late Tapiwa Makore

Published: September 26, 2020
By: The Herald, Zimbabwe  

President Mnangagwa yesterday condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes, saying the Government was concerned with all forms of threats and abuse to children and vowed to end violence against them.

The condemnation comes in the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, last week for ritual purposes, allegedly by a herder.

“I am disturbed by the loss of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes. These cold-hearted acts of murder have no place in our country.

“The stakeholders in our criminal justice system must speedily and strongly deal with perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society,” said the President during a virtual Junior Cabinet meeting at State House yesterday.

Murder suspect Tafadzwa Shamba

Tapiwa was looking forward to resuming classes on November 9, and rejoining his peers at Nyamutumbu Primary School in Murehwa after a six-month hiatus.

Like millions of other pupils across the country, particularly his Grade One fellows, he was raring to go as the phased reopening of schools, which comes into effect on Monday, puts an end to their daily routine of playing house, horseplay and hopscotch, in-between errands as may be assigned by their parents.

The seven-year-old Tapiwa was his parents’ gift from God as was reflected in his name. With school lessons temporarily shelved owing to Covid-19, the bubbly boy, like the gift he was, often helped out his mother in tending to their vegetable garden.

In the morning of Thursday September 17, as she has always done, Tapiwa’s mother prepared food for him and set him off on the excursion to keep stray livestock away from their vegetable patch.

She and her husband were set to relieve him later in the afternoon.

However, fate had decided otherwise. It was set in the stars that they would never see their beloved son alive again, neither were they to bury him intact.

Unbeknown to them, the Makore family had set in motion a chain of events that would leave the serene community of Makore Village in Chief Mangwende’s domain of Murehwa District, dumbfounded, distressed and in deep mourning as a dark cloud of both grief and fear engulfed them.

Tapiwa’s story reads like a horror movie where death is traded with such abandon that the grisly ceases to be abnormal with the Grim Reaper, in his dark shrouds, hooded robe and scythe daring the living as they dare each other.

Bereft of words, the community fretfully tries to come to terms with what could have befallen their child; for in African societies, a child belongs to all. No one knows what he went through, and how the Grim Reaper tore through his fragile heart to “reap” his soul. All else pointed to ritual murder.

When Tapiwa’s parents got to the garden around 3pm, where they expected to see him as usual, they were confronted by his “last meal”, untouched, and his pair of shoes. Their boy was nowhere to be seen.

The parents’ enquiries on the whereabouts of their cherished son from other children, who were also keeping watch over their gardens revealed that Tapiwa had last been seen swimming in a pond close-by.

A visit to the pond, however, did not yield any result. Suddenly an air of fear filled them as they alerted other villagers of the missing boy, resulting in an immediate search of the area.

Nonetheless, the search, which was immediately conducted into the wee hours of the night and the morrow, yielded nothing; except more pain, anxiety and regret. By then, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) had joined in the search.

The following day, Friday September 18, villagers reported that a neighbour had woken up to an enigmatic sight in his yard. He discovered his dog and puppies feasting on human organs. The body had its head, neck, both legs and arms hacked off.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said of the discovery then:

“The body of the boy was later discovered on September18, 2020, being eaten by dogs with the head, arms and legs chopped off for suspected ritual purposes.”

With the police leaving no stone unturned, one of the suspects, Tafadzwa Shamba was nabbed on kidnap and murder charges, while his two alleged accomplices are still at large.

Shamba, a herdsman in the same village with the Makores, and his co-conspirators ostensibly allegedly waylaid the boy from his family’s garden, took him to a mountain and detained him for the entire day.

The herdsman was promised US$1 500 for his part in the kidnap and subsequent gruesome murder.

However, before the envisaged windfall, Shamba’s luck ran out, as the blood-stained clothes he wore on the day he allegedly committed the crime betrayed him.

Naturally, the discovery of Tapiwa’s dismembered body, and one of the suspects’ subsequent arrest would have put closure to the sad story, as some questions could have been answered.

That was not to be. More human body parts were found strewn all over the place including a skull. However, this turned out not to be Tapiwa’s.  This discovery with all the trappings of the macabre, led to more questions than answers.

Could there be a conspiracy to wipe out children from the area for ritual purposes? Has the area’s Grim Reaper made a date with the Makore villagers for a ransom as an appeasement for some ill-informed engagement from the past?

Villagers and the police unearthed more than they could chew. Among the skulls found, was one that looked so old it could not be linked to the victim’s; the other one was still blood-stained, but with the eyes gorged out and missing jawline. The chin and tongue were also missing.

Also discovered were a fire-singed child’s palm, a jaw with seven lower teeth, and other body pieces.

It is not clear how many other children could have met their fate in Tapiwa’s manner, which has left a cold chill running through the villagers’ spines.

Tapiwa’s relatives are convinced that the discovered fresh skull could not be their “son’s”.

Mr Isaac Makore (57), the deceased boy’s granduncle, said the newly discarded skull they chanced on was not his grandnephew’s, but that of a 12-year-old, yet to be identified child’s.

As a result of the uncertainty, Tapiwa is still to find rest, as burial arrangements have been put on hold pending further investigations.

“My grandnephew went missing, and we later discovered his torso with other organs, like the head, hands, and legs missing. We also discovered separate sets of teeth; and two separate skulls, one with lower teeth and the other one with upper teeth but without a tongue.

“Indications are that the other skull belongs to a yet to be identified older child, and not our ‘child’s’, Mr Makore said.

However, the boy’s privates were untouched.

Following Tapiwa’s grisly murder, and the unearthing of more mutilated body parts, villagers are now living in fear of death merchants who could be on the prowl in the area, seeking children’s hearts for ritual purposes.

Tapiwa’s uncle, Mr Simbarashe Makore (38), said it is believed that there could be many children, although not from their area, who could have been killed for ritual purposes, and had their bodies dumped in the proximity of their village.

“We are now living in fear. Our prayer is that the police apprehend the culprits and rid our area of this menace. Who knows, after our children, they may also come for us, their parents. How could someone kill a fellow human being in such cold blood just like that?” he bemoaned.

Ms Easther Makore (52), Tapiwa’s aunt concurred, saying the police should not leave any stone unturned and get to the bottom of the issue as it was mind-boggling that so many human organs could be discovered hard upon her nephew’s demise.

Mr Summer Murwira (78), a nephew to the Makore family, at whose homestead Tapiwa’s dismembered body was found, said it (body) was bloodless when it was discovered.

Another villager weighed in, saying: “I do not think the place the torso was found is where he was murdered, otherwise there would have been blood stains all over. This is a serious matter.

“We now fear for our children. No one even wants to attend to the gardens anymore, or guard them against roaming livestock since the incident occurred.” —  (Additional reporting by Kingstone Mapupu — Kwayedza).

Source: Murehwa ritual killing: President decries evil act

President Mnangagwa’s remarks provoked an outcry from Paul Nyathi, a Zimbabwean opposition politician, which is interesting to note (webmaster FVDK).

“Mr President, All Murders Must Be Condemned And Stopped”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa 

Published: September 26, 2020
By: ZimEye The Truth & The Future – Paul Nyathi

President Mnangagwa who himself is accused of several politically motivated murders and abductions yesterday condemned the killing of children for ritual purposes, saying the Government was concerned with all forms of threats and abuse to children and vowed to end violence against them.

The condemnation comes in the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old Murehwa boy, Tapiwa Makore, last week for ritual purposes, allegedly by a herder.

While it is noble for Mnangagwa to condemn the killings of innocent children the President himself has a history of killing which taints his otherwise noble call. Zimbabweans have through the years called on Mnangagwa to speak to the murders attributed to his authority and call for an end to the wanton killing of citizens for political purposes as he has done on the killing of children for ritual purposes.

“I am disturbed by the loss of young children as a result of heinous and evil actions for rituals and witchcraft purposes. These cold-hearted acts of murder have no place in our country.

“The stakeholders in our criminal justice system must speedily and strongly deal with perpetrators so that this evil trend is expunged from our society,” said Mnangagwa during a virtual Junior Cabinet meeting at State House on Friday.

While Mnangagwa was Minister of State for National Security, the 5th Brigade of the Zimbabwe National Army killed thousands of civilians in the Matabeleland region. These massacres, known as the Gukurahundi, lasted from 1983 to 1987, and resulted in an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 deaths.

More recently military officials – many behind his rise to power – have been accused of benefiting from the rich Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe, with reports of killings and human rights abuses there.

His ruthlessness, which it could be argued he learnt from his Rhodesian torturers, is said to have been seen again in 2008 when he reportedly masterminded Zanu-PF’s response to former President late Robert Mugabe losing the first round of the presidential election to long-time rival the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

The military and state security organisations unleashed a campaign of violence against opposition supporters, leaving hundreds dead and forcing thousands from their homes. Tsvangirai then pulled out of the second round and Mugabe was re-elected in a one man race.

On August 1 2018, the Zimbabwean army shot at protestors killing at least twelve and injuring many others. The government of Mnangagwa again denied involvement. A commission headed by Mohlante found the army responsible for the killings. The commission made recommendations and all were ignored by Mnangagwa’s military government. None of the recommendations were carried out.

In January 2019, more protestors were killed by the same army in cold blood. Scores of women were raped, some in front family members. A brazen Mnangagwa, would later demand to see graves of those killed and the women raped should come to him that he can believe that such atrocities took place at the hands of the army he directs. Many Zimbabweans were shocked and hurt by such reckless statements from a heartless president.

Source: Mr President, All Murders Must Be Condemned And Stopped