Zanu PF vigilante group fleecing ‘patients’

They usually hang around Mbare getting high on marijuana and cheap alcohol while waiting for the next assignment from their political handlers. Members of Zanu PF vigilante group, Chipangano, make a living from paltry handouts doled by party officials every time they are deployed to cause violence on behalf of their party.

They are a vicious lot and have become the face of Zanu PF’s violent campaigns in Harare. But they have found a new pre-occupation in recent days. A vagrant drawing huge crowds because of her claims to be a wonder miracle worker near the Mbare main bus terminus has become Chipangano’s new source of income.

Youthful members of the militia have taken over “security” at the open space where the vagrant prophetess is based. They control the large crowd and charge as much as $20 as bribe to facilitate desperate salvation seekers’ access to the prophetess, whose healing powers have become talk of the town. The Daily News witnessed Chipangano members fleecing people flocking to the shrine before spending the money on booze.

Mai Praise, as the vagrant prophetess is known, started off by staying at the open space with her family before turning into a crowd puller after “exhibiting magical powers”. Her “home and shrine” is an open ground two metres away from a public toilet. A constant stream of raw stinking sewer flows half a metre away while a few blankets and clothes, her only earthly possessions, are piled nearby.

Yet hundreds of people flock there to have a feel of her “miracles”. Witnesses claim she has healed the blind and ordered the lame to walk. For Chipangano, the vagrant prophetess has come as manna from heaven. Those fleeced include dozens of people on wheelchairs who flock to the “shrine” hoping for salvation.

Mean looking militia from Chipangano were drinking beer as early as eight in the morning next to where the vagrant prophetess’ belongings were piled when the Daily News visited the area this week. Some were taking charge of queues that were forming while the vagrant woman prepared to begin her work for the day.

Two police officers chatted away with some members of the public, seemingly oblivious to the public drinking crime happening right under their noses. Because some people seeking deliverance from the vagrant prophetess are opting to sleep in the open at the “shrine” to enhance their chances of accessing her, Chipangano members have to work from very early in the morning.

“They charge as much as $20 for one to jump the queue,” said one woman identifying herself as Mai Tonderai. So rife was Chipangano’s extortion of “patients” that the vagrant prophetess had at one time threatened to direct evil spirits she would have chased from patients to them, people who have been following the vagrant prophetess’ work said.

After the warning the group relented but only for a while.

“These people (Chipangano) think money grows on trees. They have become a law unto themselves and do not even give a hoot about the police who are actually here as you can see,” said a man who claimed to have spent close to a week at the “shrine”. While being clearly the dominant force, Chipangano members are not the only ones feeding off the vagrant prophetess, who charges only $1 for her services.

Already, there are two more people claiming to part of the vagrant prophetess’ crew, resulting in the formation of two separate queues meandering for about fifty metres.  Daily News