‘I know my wife is a witch’

Comment & Analysis
BY NUNURAI JENATHE husband of a woman who confessed to practising witchraft in Chinhoyi is a troubled man.

Kerry Kamanga can hardly face residents of Shackleton in Chinhoyi after his wife and her colleague were caught in an alleged  dead of the night fracas over human flesh.

Kamanga’s wife, Rosemary (48), and a colleague, Esnath Maodza (56), were unceremoniously drop-ped off a winnowing basket by their alleged partner-in-crime, Shylet Muzeza when an alleged witching expedition by the women went horribly wrong. The two fell into the compound of Erenesi Mafunga, a member of the Paul Mwazha-led apostolic sect, who later said her divine powers had caused the mishap.

Mafunga said she woke up following strange noises and was confronted by Rosemary who was calling for a Muzeza to bring back human flesh they had taken from Alaska. On seeing the naked women, Mafunga screamed, waking the whole neighbourhood at around 3am.

The pair was arrested and later confessed to practising witchcraft.

The two women last Wednesday appeared before Chinhoyi magistrate, Fanny Nyakudya, on charges of contravening section 98 of the criminal law (codification and reform) act Chapter 9:23, pertaining to “engaging in practices commonly associated with witchcraft”.

They were granted free bail and would be back in court on July 11.

Public prosecutor, Clarence Majongosi, said the State would, among other witnesses, call the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association experts to enlighten the court on the practice of witchcraft. While the women await their fate, Rosemary’s husband is struggling to cope with the infamy brought about by his wife and her colleagues’ conduct.

Kamanga said the incident had made him a laughing stock in the community. “I cannot move around freely like I used to do, as people stare at me as if I’m the one who was caught practising witchcraft,” he said.

“Unfortunately I know about it because when I went from one n’anga and to prophets looking for someone who could help my wife to conceive, I heard stories about her being a witch.”