Zimbabwe News Online: Tokoloshi-linked fire guts house in Dangamvura

Tokoloshi-linked fire guts house in Dangamvura
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manica post on 10 April, 2010 09:38:00
 
Neighbours who tried to rescue some of the burning property had to run for dear
life after they were allegedly stoned by unseen "things".
The incident, which happened around 6am, was the talk of the city for the
greater part of this week, with those close to the alleged underworld happenings
at Number 7820, Area 16, which have been linked to Tokoloshis, saying Sunday's
inferno was a culmination of a series of hair-raising scenes that were taking
place at the house for a long time now.
The house was considered as one of the best in Dangamvura high-density suburb as
a whole. When The Manica Post visited the house on Sunday at the height of the
inferno, neighbours and passersby who had tried to put out the fire as well as
retrieve some of the property stood from a distance with the majority of them
complaining of being "stoned' when they tried to help.
The house - which belongs to Mereki Zvisineyi who was said to have gone to
Chipinge together with his wife when the fire broke out- has of late played host
to a cocktail of weird happenings.
Manicaland police spokesman, Inspector Brian Makomeke, confirmed Sunday's
mysterious fire. He said officers from Dangamvura Police Station had on numerous
occasions visited the house - at times with rifles - following strange
happenings.
"The house caught fire on April 4 under unclear circumstances. The owner, Mereki
Zvisineyi, was said to have gone to Chipinge when the fire broke out. His
relative, Kumbirayi Taruberekera, was the only one at home and from her
statement, the fire started from Zvisineyi's bedroom, which had been locked for
days. She said she heard queer sounds from the main bedroom and when she went to
check what was happening, she saw a cloud of smoke coming out of the room.
"That is when she called for help, resulting in neighbours and passersby coming
to the rescue. However, their efforts did not yield anything as some of them
failed to retrieve the burning property as they complained that they were being
stoned by unseen people. As a result, the house was totally burnt and by the
time the fire brigade came everything had been burnt," he said.
Insp Makomeke said on March 12, police detectives cordoned off the house after
Kumbirayi heard weird sounds coming from the ceiling and she suspected that a
thief might have entered through the roof.
"Tear smoke canisters were diffused in the ceiling, but no one came out.
However, some people who came to witness what has happening on that day started
complaining that they were being "stoned" from nowhere," he said.
One of the officers, who attended the March 12 scene, said they phoned Zvisineyi
who was not at home and told him of the unfolding drama at his house, but he
allegedly told them that he was busy.
Interviewed neighbours also revealed that Zvisineyi was on Sunday again phoned
about the fire at his house while he was on his way back from Chipinge, but he
allegedly care-freed.
"A lot of scary things have been happening at the house. It seems the owners (of
the house) know what is happening and they care not. From what has been
happening, it all points to the work of Tokoloshis (goblins).
"At first, we heard that prepared food was just disappearing from the kitchen
after being dished and we just rubbished it as mere rumours. Secondly, there was
this story of cups hitting people at the house and then the police raid. Now,
this mysterious fire has summed it all," said a neighbour who refused to be
named.
When contacted for comment, the president of the Zimbabwe National Traditional
Healers' Association, Professor Gordon Chavhunduka, said the incident was
synonymous with acts of zvikwambo or zvitokoloshi.
"Late last year, a similar case happened in Mt Darwin. What will be happening is
that something would have gone wrong and the goblins will be revenging and thus
they destroy everything that their owner acquired or bought using them.
What happens is that when these people acquire these goblins for purposes of
personal enrichment, they come along with sought of a user manual guide as to
how that chikwambo has to be taken care of, for it to work. Any deviation from
what would have been prescribed is disastrous," he said. Efforts to contact
Zvisineyi for comment were fruitless.