I’m now a spirit medium: Shaba

By Margaret Chinowaita

HARARE – Luta Shaba, is a women’s rights advocate who bridged the gap between women at the community and national policy level by making them more conversant with the law and enhancing their participation.

She also rose to prominence with the “women can do it campaign” which encouraged women to offer themselves up for public office.

Her success in this regard can be measured by the fact that for the first time in the country’s history, more than 800 women offered themselves up for public office during the 2008 harmonised elections while the period also recorded an increased number of women casting their vote.

Shaba also had a brief stint in politics but has turned a new leaf and is now a spirit medium and seems comfortable with her new role as an oracle.

The Daily News caught up with Shaba last week in Harare.

“I am a  svikiro (spirit medium) and my spiritual name is Ambuya Muhera. I am possessed by Mbuya Nehanda’s spirit. I am now based in Arcturus in a holy land behind mountains. I was directed to leave my Borrowdale home to reside in the area that Musiki (God) directed me.”

Wearing beads synonymous with a spirit medium, Shaba, 45 said: “I come from all over the place. My grandparents are of Zimbabwe and Malawi origins. I am mixture of Nguni, Karanga, Ndebele and Chewa. I was born in Highfield.”

Shaba, a lawyer by profession and the founding executive member of Women’s Trust, said she was initiated into the spirit world in 2009.

“One never graduates from the initiation until the day that he or she dies. You learn the basics and start the spiritual work. I came out in 2012 that’s when I started performing the spiritual duties,” she said.

Spirit mediums assume different roles and Shaba said her part is to teach what she calls the way of the light.

“My mandate is to remind people on the ways in which our ancestors prayed to Musiki, (God) and the roles of ancestors and then the traditional spirituality.”

Shaba claims to have been sent with an urgent message to the people of Zimbabwe.

“Tarasa hunhu, (we have lost our humanity), Munyika mazara rima, (we are being overcome by darkness). We are now worshipping money, we have changed our God to money. There are lots of prophets’ leading people astray. We need to reconnect our personhood for example, unodya cheziya, (one eats fruits of their sweat)”

The oracle also had a message to the people to protect the environment, the forests, mountains and rivers. Shaba said people should come to the realisation that they are one with the environment.

She challenged people to use their brains so that development would not cause environmental degradation.

Zimbabwe is reeling under an economic, social and political crisis that is affecting the nation. Shaba said the nation should approach the spiritual world and alert it of the challenges being faced and seek solutions.

Shaba has published a book entitled The way of the light Book 1 and is working on her second book.

She has also composed and released a music CD titled Vepasi Mbira Music and is currently working on the release of her second album.

Shaba has been active on radio discussing the African tradition. She provides expertise on a programme aired on a local radio station.

“People do not read. Zimbabweans read to pass exams but people do not read to acquire wisdom. It is also sad that our radio stations do not play mbira music.

“It’s a problem because someone from outside would re-brand our mbira music and bring it back to us as a new sound. We have a collective low self-esteem as a nation as we wait for foreigners to lead the way,” said Shaba.

She quoted musician Bob Marley’s Redemption song to illustrate a point.

“Emancipate ourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds,” adding that this is the epitome of her message to Zimbabweans.

Shaba is a holder of Honours Degree in Law from the University of Zimbabwe and a Masters Degree in Policy Studies.

She also trained in leadership in Africa, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

“I have worked and travelled internationally and I have worked in all the Sadc countries as a consultant in social development and women’s rights.”

During her time as the executive director of Women’s Trust, she managed to make gains for women by influencing policies that affected women.

She no longer practises law.

She is involved in social activism for women and other vulnerable people.

Shaba takes her new role seriously and said it is a continuation of working on social justice. As a parting shot, she said all families in Zimbabwe should engage in ceremonies of showing gratitude to their ancestors. Daily News