Manjuzu Cult
Manjuzu is a mermaid spirit believed to endow its worshippers with wealth and a good life. It became popular with Zimbabwean women who want wealth with many being initiated into the manjuzu cult in return for a prosperous lavish life but the oath consequences are said to be dire. It is believed that some pastors are among those that have been initiated into the manjuzu cult.
Signs Someone Is In The Manjuzu Cult
According to a Harare based cleric Apostole Bigboy Kathumba, these are the signs that someone is a member of the Manjuzu Cult:
- They wear silk glittery fashion and revealing clothes.
- They love jewellery with anklets, ankle/leg chains, rings on the tongue, nose and navel.
- Excessive love for partying all night
- If they dream what happens
- Going to rivers with rice, sweets and Strettons gin.
- Colourful hairstyles for example purple or white[1]
Other Signs
- Taking snuff
- Holding parties they call mabira where wine is drunk and people feed on rice and chicken
- Wearing beads and frequenting outing joints where they believe will be appeasing spirits which are responsible for their success – in a process they call kupembedza mashavi.
Criticism
Despite positive reviews from those that have been initiated into the cult, Manjuzu has been criticised by clerics.
Apostle Bigboy Kathumba said the Manjuzu spirit is an anti-marriage spirit and makes the manjuzu love partying and overdressing. He added that the mermaid gives the victims wealth for a short period before taking it away. He also said some pastors have also been initiated into the Manjuzu Cult which is why some are committing adultery.
However, Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) president George Kandiero said there was no such thing as Manjuzu saying that bogus spirit mediums were duping young people desperate to attain wealth. Kandiero said:
"We have noticed with sadness that young people especially ma salad, slay queens are being fooled into Manjuzu cult. Manjuzu is just a word for the water spirit and there are real water spirits, mashave enjuzu but this is not the case with these young people looking for wealth and a flashy life. We have an ethics committee which looks into these matters to ascertain true spirit mediums and the ones duping unsuspecting young people. These bogus mediums usually loiter around shops and prey on young beautiful slay girls and boys luring them into manjuzu stuff. They even take their victims to rivers telling them that mune shave renjuzu, hupenyu hwenyu hunochinja moita pfuma. There some vanenge vachiita sevane mudzimu asi iwo usiri, zvimwe mweya wetsvina or usiriwo, they need exorcism kuma church or anywhere nekuti hunenge watova huroyi. It is more like kuromba when these young people are involved in manjuzu stuff."
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Desmond Munemo, Manjuzu cult spreads, H-Metro, Published: November 12, 2021, Retrieved: December 22, 2021
