By A Correspondent- An attempt by an apostolic sect member in Mabee area of Chipinge to perform rituals to allegedly stop cyclones from wreaking havoc was thwarted by irate villagers who were demonstrating, accusing the man of cloth of stopping the rains.

The Mabee villagers whose area lies under Natural Region Five experienced a prolonged dry spell and most of their crops were a write-off before the Tropical Storm Freddy-induced rains were received last weekend.

Following the announcement that heavy rains were expected to hit most parts of the country starting last week on Friday, Madzibaba Tamuka, believed to be Madzibaba Wenguwo tsvuku, performed some rituals in Muzvido Village under Village Head Cames Mabee’s area.

This did not go well with villagers who stormed the area and ordered the man of cloth to discard everything he had erected as ‘barricades’ against the storm and throw them in the bush.

Madzibaba Tamuka had put up a big clay pot wrapped with a red cloth at his shrine as a ‘barricade’ to Tropical Storm Freddy.

Irate villagers, accompanied by Mutape Cames Mabee last week on Thursday stormed Madzibaba Tamuka’s shrine and ordered him to remove his ‘barricade’.

They were arguing that Madzibaba Tamuka could not stop the rains as the community was in dire need of them. A witness, Hlupo Zembe of Garahwa area said villagers were irked by the prophet’s prayers to stop the rains.

Contacted for comment, Mtape Mabee said what Madzibaba Tamuka did was a taboo in his area.

“The area is dry and our crops suffered from moisture stress. The dry spell was also threatening our livestock. We really need the rains so that our livestock can have enough pastures. We will not allow this sort of behaviour in our area,” said Mutape Mabee.

Chipinge went on to receive some rains despite Madzibaba Tamuka’s intercession.

Repeated efforts to get comment from Madzibaba Tamuka were not successful as his Mozambican cellphone number was not reachable.

— Manica Post