Countless graves at homestead as mysterious deaths haunt Mt Darwin family every August, September and October

MT DARWIN – The Gudyani family, devout members of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church from Headman Dare’s area in Dotito, Mt Darwin, are living under a dark cloud. For years, they say, they have been haunted by a series of inexplicable deaths that strike with chilling regularity between August and October.

Desperate for answers and a reprieve from their suffering, the family has made the difficult decision to seek help from a traditional healer, a move that marks a temporary departure from their deeply held religious beliefs.

The family’s ordeal, they claim, began many years ago, but took a turn for the worse in 2009. They believe the root of their misfortune lies in witchcraft, a consequence of alleged dark magic used by one of their forefathers in a quest for wealth. This desperate act, they say, has cursed their lineage, bringing with it a wave of tragedy and despair.

Ezekiel Gudyani (42), who led a group of 13 family members – men and women – to a Harare-based sangoma last week, spoke of the family’s anguish. The news crew newspaper witnessed the gathering, a poignant illustration of a family at its wit’s end. Mr. Gudyani, clutching the staffs of his late grandfathers – men who, he says, had previously refused to address the family’s troubles – explained the extent of their suffering.

The pattern of death is particularly disturbing. “People die from infancy up to the age of 32, mostly. They don’t go beyond that age. They die in the months of August, September, and October. So, when these months approach, we know that mourning is near,” Mr. Gudyani explained, his voice heavy with resignation.

But the deaths are not the only affliction plaguing the Gudyani family. According to Mr. Gudyani, the family is also experiencing a range of other problems. “If you know a homestead where people die frequently, our homestead is worse. Besides the deaths, people are experiencing mental health problems, paralysis, and skin rashes among children and adults.”

The catalogue of woes continues. “Moreover, family members are experiencing infertility in sons and daughters, unemployment, seeing huge snakes in the yards and houses, and many other frightening things,” Mr. Gudyani added. These terrifying experiences have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty within the family, driving some to the brink of despair.

Faced with such overwhelming challenges, the Gudyani family made the difficult decision to temporarily set aside their Apostolic faith and seek assistance from a sangoma. Mr. Gudyani explained that they had sought permission from their church elders to pursue this course of action, hoping to find a solution that had eluded them through prayer and faith alone.

“We even asked church elders for permission to temporarily suspend our religious practices so we could seek help from traditional healers to remove evil spirits, harmful charms, and other negative influences,” he said.

The decision to consult a traditional healer was not taken lightly. The family had previously consulted numerous prophets, hoping for a divine intervention to end their suffering. However, these efforts proved fruitless, leaving them feeling increasingly desperate.

“We are tired of consulting various prophets without any lasting solution, and they are now trying traditional healers (n’angas) because they want help in removing evil spirits (zvikwambo) that are killing off their lineage,” Mr. Gudyani stated.

The family believes that malevolent spirits, known as zvikwambo, are responsible for their misfortunes. These spirits, they say, are a manifestation of the dark magic unleashed by their ancestor.

The evidence of this alleged witchcraft, they claim, is both disturbing and undeniable. “We had an elder in our family who died and whose entire body was eaten by unseen things that we call zvikwambo or zvidhoma (goblins),” Mr. Gudyani recounted, his voice trembling. “The corpse had its lips, nose, and entire face bitten off, including the hands and feet.”

Other unsettling incidents have further convinced the family that they are victims of witchcraft. “We have a trunk of the deceased’s belongings that was given to one of our relatives, which was later found dumped in a cave, and we don’t know why,” Mr. Gudyani revealed. “At my house, a gate was placed in the yard, and many other frightening things happen in our homestead, including finding charcoal in the yards.”

The fear and desperation within the Gudyani family have led some to take drastic measures. “They say some of their relatives have already moved from their homes to live in foreign countries for fear of death,” Mr. Gudyani explained. Even those who remain in the area are reluctant to associate with the family. “They also say that some relatives do not come to offer condolences or shake hands when there is a death, even though they live nearby,” he added.

The curse, they believe, extends beyond death and disease, impacting the family’s ability to build a future. “The sons in this family are said to be unable to marry, and the daughters are also unable to get married,” Mr. Gudyani said. “Those few who have the chance to marry are rejected, and the sons are also abandoned by women.

Despite the challenges they face, the Gudyani family remains resilient. Of the eleven men who attended the meeting with the n’anga, many have multiple wives, a testament to their determination to continue their lineage despite the odds. However, even those who find love often face hardship. “They say people who start businesses see them collapse because of this problem,” Mr. Gudyani explained.

The family’s decision to seek help from a n’anga is a reflection of their desperation and their unwavering desire to break the cycle of death and misfortune that has plagued them for so long. As Mr. Gudyani poignantly stated, “We have a male relative who died while his toes were rotting off, without being sick, and we couldn’t figure out what kind of disease it was. So, for us to come to a n’anga for help, even though we are apostles, it doesn’t matter; what we want is help to survive because we are dying off.”