Mystery haunts Murewa villagers

A LOUD bang in the middle of the night startled Maurice Mbengo (55) who laboured about the source of the explosion.

With darkness engulfing him, Mbengo could not see what was happening as he peeped through the small window of his kitchen hut.

He and other villagers were then shocked to see “smoke” rising from a nearby hill.

"We were all surprised to see smoke billowing from the hill. "I later realised that the hill was the source of the loud bang," explained Mbengo. Villagers in Muchagoneyi and Chakavarika villages, Ward 13, near Musami Business Center, Murewa West Constituency, have yet to learn what transpired on the hill. A group of brave peasants climbed the hill and noticed that smoke was leaking from a massive crevice on the granite-dominated hill.

"The explosion created a massive crater, which is where the smoke was coming from. "We are perplexed as to what happened; the smoke eventually cleared," Mbengo remarked. Some residents used their phones to capture the most mysterious moment in local history.

NewsDay recently visited the location and confirmed that the crater (shown left) remains, with residents still shocked by the unusual incident. A local traditional healer speculated that the tragedy could have been the result of "angry ancestors" issuing a terrifying warning to the living. "Immorality and evil have been prevalent in this area. The ancestors could be upset. "Some rituals must be performed to cleanse the entire area before peace can reign," said the traditional healer, who identified himself as Sekuru Kapurura. Ward 13 Councillor Tafadzwa Kabanda stated that they were still looking for answers.

"We are still in the dark and expect to receive answers from officials. "There are reports of cracks at the scene," he stated. Idah Jaravaza, Kabanda's colleague and ward 12 councillor, corroborated the occurrence. "I toured the area, and there are fissures. "The villagers are confused and scared," Jaravaza stated. "I chatted with a few of them, and they revealed that unusual things have been happening on the hill. "There is fear everywhere." Debris of various sizes (seen on the right) is spread around the area. Some people told this outlet that the split could have been caused by an elderly python that had been on the hill for years.

The python lives in one of the underground caves, according to the inhabitants. Before making any decisions, Chief Mangwende stated that he would wait for a report to be completed by village leaders. "I am waiting for a detailed report from my team in the area before taking the next step," he added. The chief also stated that he was willing to take culturally appropriate action to pacify the ancestors if the village chiefs' report indicated so. However, a local geologist who declined to be identified stated that it "could be simply a weathering process".

"The temperatures were extremely high those days (when the explosion happened), which could have contributed to it. I can't say anything about the smoke, though. The geologist stated that professionals should visit the location and conduct an investigation. The tragedy has left villagers in a state of confusion and terror. Could it be simple weathering, a premature volcano, or a strange incident? This question remains unresolved until perhaps professionals weigh in. "We pray that this never happens again, it was scary," Mbengo was quoted as saying