Fake ‘foreign doctors’ on the prowl in Harare

Comment & Analysis
A new band of “foreign” traditional healers and herbalists has emerged in Harare, promising to help residents find lost lovers, heal incurable diseases and turn economic fortunes of the poor.

A new band of “foreign” traditional healers and herbalists has emerged in Harare, promising to help residents find lost lovers, heal incurable diseases and turn economic fortunes of the poor.

By Phyllis Mbanje

The con artistes, mostly from Malawi, advertise their services in national newspapers and through flyers pasted on trees or street lights.

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However, Zimbabwe National Healers Association (Zinatha) spokesperson George Kandiero believes most of the “foreign” healers and herbalists that advertise their services are actually locals trying to hoodwink desperate Zimbabweans.

“We suspect that some of these so-called ‘doctors’ are Zimbabweans who have mastered foreign accents,” Kandiero said.

The Standard recently tracked down one of the “doctors” who regularly advertise in national newspapers to establish the nature of their operations.

A flier distributed by the “doctor” listed about 20 different challenges and ailments which he claimed to cure.

Among the alleged specialties was the ability to make the female reproductive organs tighter and enlarging or strengthening of the male ones.

There was also mention of finding marriage partners in a few days, the ability to protect people from supernatural powers and reviving failing businesses.

The “doctor” also claims to be a “fortune teller and palm reader”, to provide “Zam AZM water for bad luck”, herbs to enable one to “get to know your enemies”, for barren women to conceive, to bring back lost lovers, to “get your lover to give you everything”, to “know your lover’s secrets” to “break up with an unwanted partner”, to “get promotion at work and job security” and to “influence court case outcomes”.

The man who answered the phone provided on the small piece of badly-printed paper sounded alien and elderly.

He appeared to struggle communicating in Shona before he asked to use English.

In Pidgin English, which is popular in West African countries, “doctor” Musa initially asked to meet this reporter in town but later gave directions to some service station in Braeside.

“I charge $30 for enlarging or shrinking your hips and breasts to the size you want. No side effects,” he promised.

Apparently this service was one of the “cheaper” ones as others like tightening of the female reproductive organ and enlarging the male one cost $60 and $70 respectively.

“The female organ will become as small as that of a baby or a virgin. It will maintain its tightness for a very long time,” Musa boasted.

There are no negotiations for possible downward price variation.

Musa also claimed to have powers to tell a client if their lover was cheating and to give specific details of the affair.

At the meeting place in Braeside, the “doctor” promised to be there “in a few minutes” but the time stretched to almost half an hour.

Young-looking and donning a clean white and black checkered long-sleeved shirt and a pair of casual black pants, Musa could have passed for an executive except for the oversized flops.

He was a far cry from the person behind the old alien voice on the phone.

Nervously approaching the car, he extended his greetings in the same “exotic” accent and appeared to be of Nigerian origin.

He claimed he was from Kenya and a member of the Masai tribe.

The interview was held in the back seat of the car and once he got comfortable, he dropped the coyness and his voice became more authoritative.

Musa was evasive when asked about where he stays.

“My surgery is in Marondera. I just came here because there is a family that I am assisting,” he claimed.

He claimed that he got his healing powers from his ancestors and started practicising when he was barely 10 years old. He is now 24.

“I consult my ancestors and they reveal things and even the medicines that I use, like the Masai oil for the enlargement of the male organ,” he nods his head convincingly.

He then produced some powder nicely packaged in a small brown envelope which he offered this writer for vaginal tightening.

He also promised a male colleague the Masai oil which he said he had left at home.

The meeting ended in an anticlimax as we told him we had not brought the money with us but we promised to call him again.

Musa is not registered with any local regulatory body and does not have a licence but is not perturbed because his clients are always satisfied.

Meanwhile, Kandiero believes Zimbabweans are being taken for a ride because “people have become too desperate and are easily hoodwinked by these thieves.”

“Anyone who claims to be a herbalist or traditional healer should have a licence from the Traditional Medicines Practitioners Council of the Health ministry,” said Kandiero.

“These people are criminals who are taking advantage of desperate people. We have a serious problem.”

Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe spokesperson Richard Rukwata said anyone who claimed to be herbalist should be registered.

“This is a simple legal matter that requires that everyone who claims to be a herbalist or such should have a licence and needs to be registered with TMPC,” he said.

Kandiero said police should move in to arrest the scourge, which he said was getting out of hand.