A MARANGE woman is battling to come to terms with her husband’s rowdy behaviour after he removed their matrimonial house’s roof and threatened to raze down the structure following an altercation over their possessed child last week.
The infuriated Shepherd Gunda, a teacher by profession, did the unthinkable and left his wife, Edna Gunda in the cold after she refused to bow down to prophets’ request to take away their 15-year-old daughter for cleansing. The daughter (name withheld) a pupil at a high school in Marange, according to Edna, usually suffers from convulsions and occasionally collapses especially when pastors pray and try to exorcise her.
As a result of this, Shepherd allegedly sought assistance from prophets who in turn demanded to take away the teenager from Edna.
Edna vehemently refused to release the girl saying she wanted her family members to be part of the proceedings and have the case referred to police.
This infuriated the determined Shepherd, who in anger, allegedly hired some villagers last Thursday morning and removed the whole roof of their matrimonial house situated in Ringai Village at Bazeley Bridge.
When The Weekender crew arrived at the homestead last week, the couple’s household property was covered by blankets and exposed to light.
The roofing sheets were neatly packed beside the house. The visibly distraught Edna and her daughter feared for the worst — heavy rains — and other nocturnal menaces.
She was bound to sleep in the house without a roof for the first time since 1996, the year they tied the knot.
“I have nowhere to go. This is the house I have lived in for the past two decades. I don’t have anywhere to stay. I am being punished for not allowing the prophets he hired to take away my daughter for cleansing.
“Pastors who came for a revival said she needs exorcism. Yes, it was fine with me, but not taking my daughter away from me. I did not know their real intentions so I could not give in to their demand. He wants to frustrate me, but I will not budge,” she said.
She added that the prophets, who were bitter, accused her of possessing evil spirits.
“They called me names. They said I also possess spirits since I stood my ground and remained firm,” she added.
The couple sired three children together.
The Weekender tried in vain to track Shepherd, who had reportedly gone away with the “prophets”.
Edna’s uncle, Passmore Mhlanza, said the couple lived peacefully before the incident happened.
“We knew them as a peaceful couple. I wonder what has entered into his mind to remove the roofing sheets and cause his family unnecessary suffering,” he said.
So does that mean the evil spirit said to be haunting the 15-year-old girl will for now remain in her until action is taken?
In an interview, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association president, Mr George Kandiero, said it could be the evil spirit that is causing such divisions especially when it faces exorcism.
“There are demons that do not want unity or that do not want to be confronted. It seems the husband removed the roof in anger. By doing that, the spirit could be happy because the ultimate goal of removing the demon was not accomplished. There is need for unity between the couple and other family members to exorcise the demon before it causes more harm and damage. It is very possible that the prophets will successfully exorcise it and the couple should not sit down and relax because mayhem can be in store for them,” said Kandiero.
Man!