As Zimbabweans struggle to find ways of making money in an ailing economy, self-proclaimed healers and herbalists are promising to bring wealth to people using what has become known as ‘short boys’.
The healers and herbalists who refer to themselves as ‘doctors’ are now increasingly advertising themselves in newspapers and on tree posters giving ‘false’ hope that they can turn a person’s fortunes and bring luck in businesses and turnaround people’s lives.
They even boast of making one’s salary double! The ‘short boys’, according to one of the ‘doctors’ from Glen View, costs $300 while Sandawana oil is $250. While many unemployed people have turned to vending, invading Harare’s central business district, some are turning to these ‘luck doctors’
It is however the advertising of these charms in public forums and the media that is somewhat new in Zimbabwe.
While some require money upfront some, in their adverts say the clients will have to pay after reaping the rewards. The ‘doctors’ do not only have the ‘short boys’ but also have Sandawana oil, which can make people rich and chitaka wallets which gets people money, penis enlargements, bringing back lost lovers and good luck.
When the Weekend Post contacted the healers, their accents and non-comprehension of local languages signified that most were foreigners.
After being asked if the ‘short boys’ were not tokoloshes, one who calls himself Dr Baisi denied that they were, saying these were only meant to bring in money.
“It is different from a tokoloshe and your relatives or children will not die, it will just bring money,” he said. However, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) director George Kandiero described the practice as witchcraft.
“What we want is for everyone who is a traditional healer to come and register with us, but those ones do not.
“We do not administer like that because those said ‘short boys’ fall under witchcraft, we, on the other hand prefer exorcising people to remove bad luck.” He said those doctors advertising the ‘short boys’ were foreigners and not Zimbabweans.
“What we are saying is that those adverts should get clearance from our offices and not mislead people. They are breaching our code of conduct.
“Those people are not from Zimbabwe, most of them are from West Africa, where they get those things,” said Kandiyero.
Another herbalist, Dr Kola originally from Tanzania, who is registered with Zinatha said he once got a job to help a school in Botswana that had been terrorised by the tokoloshes but had been discouraged by his wife.
“My wife was scared so I ended up not going. That is the time I almost had an encounter with a tokoloshe. “We do not have them in East Africa, and because I use a different method and offer different services, I have never really been intrigued to know more about them,” he said.
Kola said he used herbs and a spirit. “For me, I make tablets using herbs and I learnt that in Japan, and I treat chronic illnesses and sexually transmitted diseases, and others.
“I also use my spirit to drive away bad luck and bring in good luck. And for bringing back a lost lover, this is only those married, and I give people herbs and teach them to pray.” — Bridget Mananavire and Tarisai Machakaire
The healers and herbalists who refer to themselves as ‘doctors’ are now increasingly advertising themselves in newspapers and on tree posters giving ‘false’ hope that they can turn a person’s fortunes and bring luck in businesses and turnaround people’s lives.
They even boast of making one’s salary double! The ‘short boys’, according to one of the ‘doctors’ from Glen View, costs $300 while Sandawana oil is $250. While many unemployed people have turned to vending, invading Harare’s central business district, some are turning to these ‘luck doctors’
It is however the advertising of these charms in public forums and the media that is somewhat new in Zimbabwe.
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| Goblins for sale |
When the Weekend Post contacted the healers, their accents and non-comprehension of local languages signified that most were foreigners.
After being asked if the ‘short boys’ were not tokoloshes, one who calls himself Dr Baisi denied that they were, saying these were only meant to bring in money.
“It is different from a tokoloshe and your relatives or children will not die, it will just bring money,” he said. However, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) director George Kandiero described the practice as witchcraft.
“What we want is for everyone who is a traditional healer to come and register with us, but those ones do not.
“We do not administer like that because those said ‘short boys’ fall under witchcraft, we, on the other hand prefer exorcising people to remove bad luck.” He said those doctors advertising the ‘short boys’ were foreigners and not Zimbabweans.
“What we are saying is that those adverts should get clearance from our offices and not mislead people. They are breaching our code of conduct.
“Those people are not from Zimbabwe, most of them are from West Africa, where they get those things,” said Kandiyero.
Another herbalist, Dr Kola originally from Tanzania, who is registered with Zinatha said he once got a job to help a school in Botswana that had been terrorised by the tokoloshes but had been discouraged by his wife.
“My wife was scared so I ended up not going. That is the time I almost had an encounter with a tokoloshe. “We do not have them in East Africa, and because I use a different method and offer different services, I have never really been intrigued to know more about them,” he said.
Kola said he used herbs and a spirit. “For me, I make tablets using herbs and I learnt that in Japan, and I treat chronic illnesses and sexually transmitted diseases, and others.
“I also use my spirit to drive away bad luck and bring in good luck. And for bringing back a lost lover, this is only those married, and I give people herbs and teach them to pray.” — Bridget Mananavire and Tarisai Machakaire
