Police were scared of being turned into lizards

Political commentator Dr John Makumbe on Friday added his own unique slice of humour to the saga involving Rotina Mavhunga a.k.a Nomatter Tagarira the diesel mystic. Three years ago the ‘diesel n’anga’ fooled Mugabe’s entire cabinet after convincing them she could conjure pure diesel from rocks in Chinhoyi.

Mugabe’s regime fell for her con and met her demands for 2 head of cattle, 3 buffaloes and Z$5 billion. After three years on the run Mavhunga was eventually arrested and last week jailed by Chinhoyi provincial magistrate Ignatius Mugova. Asked by SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma why it took so long to arrest the ‘diesel mystic’ Makumbe said;

‘They were scared. I even think they knew where she was hiding but I think they didn’t know whether if they tried to arrest her, whether she wouldn’t turn them into lizards or something like that.’

Asked about the role of the Registra General Tobaiwa Mudede in harbouring Mavhunga, Makumbe said;

‘It is ridiculous because these are people who are at the centre of national institutions and there they are literally violating the law by harbouring this lady for her funny story and fairy tale but worse than that we also have a situation where she was also allocated a farm by the government for her discovery that ancestors are pouring diesel into Zimbabwe.

‘So they are all liable. All the leaders in Zanu PF are liable and it shows the risk of being governed by geriatrics. I think in a sense the courts are being made to make a ruling on a frivolous case, even though it is criminal, the whole regime was criminal.’

Other commentators have called for leniency for the ‘diesel mystic’ calling her a ‘national treasure’ that should be celebrated and not punished. Makumbe was asked if he agreed with this take.

‘Not really, I mean, I don’t really think that she is entitled to leniency. It is something which was done in a way, and at a time when this country was being ruled by what we call the living dead. The country is being ruled by ancestors. These are people who believe that the Marange diamonds were revealed by the ancestors.

‘So when they were told that diesel, purified diesel was oozing out of a rock they believed that to the extent of spending a lot of money to fulfill the requirements made by this woman and I think it is something ridiculous and I think it’s even a criminal offence.’

Makumbe said the story showed the true character of Zanu PF politicians.

‘They actually believe they are in power because their ancestors are keeping them there. They actually believe they deserve to be there because they have powerful totems and they believe their powerful totems will get them to be President and Vice President one day.

‘And you see this goes against the grain of a modern state which requires scientific management, which requires reasoning and in fact it requires that you know what you are doing and not a powerful totem or a Gushungo, or something like that or some monkey which is keeping you in a Presidential or Ministerial position, it’s a lot of rubbish.’