ZIM-Tragedy strikes again

13 April 2008, 02:50

Tragedy strikes again

By Tafadzwa Chiremba
Sunday Mail April 13, 2008

TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Nhamo Dimba, who developed a horn on his head two years ago after eating a bushbuck he found caught in a wire snare, will endure a more agonising nightmare, with news that the owner of the snare has since died.

The bizarre bony outgrowth is causing him excruciating headaches and his hair has since started falling off. He cannot afford to wash his hair, since any drop of water causes untold pain.

The man who had reportedly set the snare, identified only as Smart, is said to have died last year. It is in this man that Dimba had placed all hope of a return to normal life, after paying the required fine.

All along, Dimba has been frantically trying to raise money to pay the fine, after the initial payment of 15 cords of firewood, was overturned.

He walked into The Sunday Mail newsroom last week, with a request to make a public appeal for funds, with the hope that his woes would come to an end. Little did he know that a shocking revelation was awaiting him.

Sekuru Matia Chinonga (88), a herdman at Simbi Farm in Headlands, whom Dimba believed and claimed to be the owner of the snare and that he had caused the growth of the horn, on Wednesday denied knowledge of the snare or responsibility for the horn. He, however, said the owner of the snare, one Smart, died last year.

"Where have you been all along? I am not the owner of that snare, but Smart, who died last year is," said Chinonga, who is also known as Muchawa.

The Sunday Mail last year broke the news of Dimba of Fairfield 26 resettlement area near Macheke who developed a horn after eating a bushbuck that he had found caught on a wire snare.

While gathering wild fruits in Madubure village, near Headlands, Dimba removed the animal oblivious to the fact that the owner might have used juju.

After consuming the meat, the presumed owner of the animal is said to have issued threats of doom to whoever who had tampered with the snare.

It all started with a pimple at the back of his head, which developed into a bony outgrowth that resembled a bushbuck horn.

"The bony growth then reminded me of Chinongaâ€™s warning. I was then convinced that he was the owner of the snare," said Dimba.

All along, Dimba claimed that Sekuru Chinonga was the one responsible for the protruding horn and he made consultations with him. Dimba said he consulted with Chinonga, who demanded 15 cords of firewood early last year and later charged him $500 000 in December last year.

However, the old man denied ever claiming ownership of the snare and bushbuck, but that the payment was for the reversal of the horn â€” powers he said he possessed.

"Since then, I had not seen him because I was failing to raise the huge demands. But I still needed some help," said Dimba.

Dimba said the pain he was going through was unbearable. He said he was fast developing a bald head because he had to continuously scratch around the horn.

13 April 2008, 03:55

JudgeG

I wonder what would happen if I ate a bushbuck while standing on my head and facing backwards? Might save me about $20 a weekend!