Baffling Absence of Flies in Dusty Village

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Miguel Suleyman

2 April 2011

Rev Ambikile Mwasapile’s ‘miracle cure’ appears to have grown so strong that not only Tanzanians, but people from the neighbouring countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Congo DR are making the pilgrimage to the remote village of Samunge.

There are over 10,000 vehicles queuing on and along the 27-km road heading to the now-popular village to seek the retired pastor’s miracle cure.

As we inch along, we notice that the area around the winding rough road, and others sorrounding the desired destination are full of people. The number of people travelling on foot, by buses, lorries and powerful 4-wheel drives, is now around 500,000 people.

Amazingly, there are no flies buzzing around in the hot and humid tropical area, where human droppings, plastics, juice cans, food leftovers and cracked blood from slaughtered animals litter the dirt road and nearby forest.

“God is with us. I don’t think we could manage to stay for all these five days without seeing a fly or mosquito in a dirty place like this,” says Sekunda Sumari, a diabetes patient from Vingunguti, Dar es Salaam.

A strong belief that Rev Mwasapile possesses Godly powers has made people believe they are safe from any danger.

“We have to adhere to justice and humanity since we have been told that Babu (grandpa) sees everything,” said Exaud Zakayo, a driver who works for a tour firm, which has been ferrying people to and from Loliondo since September 2010.

One of the notable events occurred on March 27 when drivers operating from Musoma and Arusha fought for access to Samunge.

Narrrating about the standoff, James Uriyo, a Moshi-based driver, says fifteen minutes later, militiamen from Samunge Village arrived at the spot and told the guards to allow vehicles from Musoma to pass or else the former clergyman would stop the exercise.

“Confidence based on the belief that Rev Mwasepile possesses magical powers to see everything around him has completely changed people’s attitudes,” said Bahati Maganila, one of the drivers plying the now-popular route.

Insufficient security and lack of health experts are some of the challenges that the multitude has had to endure.

People heading to Samunge have had to conduct themselves in an orderly manner after the police were told to leave when it emerged that some of them took bribes from patients who wanted to get quick access to the reverend’s cure.

“Rev Mwasapile has been insisting that God will safely lead them to him and that nothing will harm them,” says Harrison Lema, a petty businessman at Samunge. about the patients

Relative to the environment outside, the situation inside the buses, lorries and other vehicles in the convoy is disgustingly unhealthy. In most of the vehicles, human odour, sweat, urine and awful smell of untreated wounds makes life unbearably tough.

“I have not taken a bath for four days and I smell horribly…. The 1.5litre bottle of water I manage to buy daily can only wash my face and hands,” said Consolata Mageni, a TB patient from Nyashimbi in Shinyanga.

Most of the vehicles headed for Samunge are crammed to extent that some of them arrive with passengers perched on carriers.

“We have to travel this way since most of us cannot afford to pay the Sh150,000 charged by Land Cruiser owners,” says Mary Jones, 43, a patient from Babati, Manyara Region, who is HIV positive.

Despite the poor sanitation inside the vehicles, no flies are seen.

“I have never seen this anywhere in my life… It probably remains the only unseen wonder besides the magic cup grandpa is offering to his patients,” noted Stephen Urio, an Arusha-based driver.

Half of the people going to Samunge left their homes secretly, according to findings.

“I didn’t tell anyone that I was coming here….This is because I feared that my friends and family members might think that I am an HIV victim,” added James Mallya, 32, from Kibosho in Kilimanjaro Region, who claims that he suffers from impotence.

But the major problem that made life miserable for most of the people was the underestimation of their budget.

“I had saved Sh90,000 hoping that Sh70, 000 would cater for transport to and from Loliondo while Sh20,000 would take care of food and subsistence for two days. I didn’t know that it would take a week to reach the desired end,” lamented Cleophas Lyaruu, 42, from Kikatiti, Arusha.

For some three weeks now, thousands of people have been trooping to Samunge for a cupful of the herbal concoction administered by Pastor Mwasapile, which some of the patients have testified as being potent.

The number of those seeking the cure is swelling as the belief that the Sh500-worth concoction – which is derived from the ‘mugariga’ tree – is superior to the scientifically-approved and industrially-manufactured medicine, gathers momentum and is even attracting clients from neighbouring and distant countries.

While a majority of traditional healers claim to bear magical powers handed down by their ancestors, for humble Mwasapile it’s a different tale as he claims to have received revelation from God through a dream.

AllAfrica – All the Time