Female Sangoma Falls Pregnant

A FEMALE traditional healer in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, who reportedly conducts cleansing ceremonies on her male clients while they are naked, has fallen pregnant — and her husband is not amused.

The woman, Vimbai Timburwa (46), is now at loggerheads with her husband, Hubert Timburwa (45), whom she has denied conjugal rights for almost a year but insists is responsible for the pregnancy.

Appearing before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Evelyn Mashavakure, Hubert said he was disturbed by his wife’s tendencies of getting into a “secret room” to cleanse naked men. During the cleansing exercise, Hubert said, Vimbai denies him entry to the “secret room”.

Female Sangoma Falls Pregnant

“I am unsettled by my wife’s tendency of denying me access to the room which she will be cleansing people. Men seeking help approach her and they will be told to get into one of the rooms which she does not allow me to get into.

In that room, men will be told to remove their clothes until they remain completely naked. It is very disturbing because it will only be the two of them in the room,” he said.


“To make matters worse, she is now pregnant and I am not the one responsible for her pregnancy because she has been denying me my conjugal rights. With this pregnancy and the cleansing which will be taking place in her secret room, how then can I accept she will be treating people? I am the head of the family and there is no room which should be kept a secret by anyone.”

However, Vimbai denied the allegations levelled against her. She said her husband was responsible for the pregnancy and was now disowning it because he has an extra-marital affair.

“No one should just enter my consultation room without my consent. That should not be an issue which should be under discussion. On the pregnancy issue, he is not telling the truth. The child I am carrying is his and that will not change. All this utterance he is making is because of the small house which he is seeing.”

Vimbai further claimed that her husband has become violent. She told the court that he is now disposing matrimonial property without her consent and demands to see the receipts for groceries.

“The respondent has gone violent since last year. He is threatening to evict me and the children out of the house. I am now living in fear because he constantly threatens to kill me. He is also accusing me of having an affair with my son-in-law and other men. This is emotionally tormenting me,” she said.

Ms Mashavakure ordered the couple to maintain peace.
Source: Sunday News