Mash Central News

Katswe-Mbire injustice matrix, setting the record straight.

By Daniel Chigunwe

Whilst a lot has been written about Mbire, it will be catastrophically unfair for one to tell the story of this beloved Dande motherland through the eyes of Joseph Conrad 1899 publication, ‘Heart of Darkness’.

This is the current prevailing sentiments among the many Mash Centralians who encountered a recent article by one of the local tabloids in the country headlined, “Mbire men rape daughters in bizarre rituals”.

The story which quoted Katswe Sistahood programs officer Fadziso Mawunganidze reads that, “disturbing reports have surfaced from some remotes parts of Mbire district in Mashonaland Central where some fathers are allegedly raping their daughters and forcing them into incestuous relationships which they believe guarantee them a bumper crop harvest,”.

It further reveals how the chief courts solely remain the pivot of justice in the Mbire community due to the difficult accessibility of law enforcers though with overtones of undermining the ability of the traditional courts in dispensing justice.

“These remote areas are far from police posts and clinics so chief’s courts are their only source of justice”

It is only someone who is still divorced from reality or rather who chooses to be economical with the truth who will look at Mbire as a backward land of savages, ritualists, rapists or uncivilized folks.

In as much as rape cases are prevalent in the province with statistical evidence showing so, it will be a misrepresentation of facts for one speculate that these acts of sexual abuse are motivated by rituals undertaken to boost crop harvest. That’s a spit in the face of Mbire community!!

Though Katswe Sistahood has tried to distance itself from the effects of the story several analysts have fumed over such negative publicity.

“I went to Mbire to clarify the issue. My comment was the work we are doing in the area. But she (journalist) said we did a study on that. The meeting we had clarified the issue as we thought the local leadership will deal with the matter.

“They even vowed to investigate and help the girls affected. So our comment was on the work we are doing with the local leadership in trying to address issues of child marriages and GBV,” replied Mawunganidze.

However social analyst Mckenzie Kamhere said the province has received bad publicity due to certain civic organizations that seeks to gain mileage and attract donor funding.

“Whilst it is welcoming to have the civic groups complementing efforts by government in building health social structures, there is need for seriousness and proper investigation to avoid misinforming the outside world.

“It’s unfortunate that several civic personnel are screen happy as well as press lovers mainly to attract donor funding but that should be done in earnest reality. Mash Central is lagging behind because of such misinformation,” he said.

Mbire community is a fast changing and developing part of the province and has so far courted the attention of several investors and tourists, “we have of late witnessed overwhelming good reports from the district, with Kanyembe being a tourism jewel of this Mbire.

“ All roads in the province are now leading here for different expos, conferences, government meetings and we are thankful to the activities by VP Chiwenga and Amai Auxillia Mnangangwa who are tirelessly working in line with vision 2030 to make Mbire a tourist destination,” said political analyst Regius Madenyika.

Daniel Chigunwe is a journalist, blogger and multi-media journalist in Mashonaland Central province.