A CHIVHU family is regretting their children’s “success”
after one of them was reportedly attacked by goblins for making it into the
national chess team that travelled to Namibia recently.
Narrating their ordeal, Esther Tichaona, grandmother to
twins Natasha and Natalie Choko explained how it all started.
“I was living in Chivhu with my two granddaughters who both
play chess. Everything was going on very well until they were set to go to
Namibia if they won the national championship.
“Before they participated in the national championships,
Natalie was attacked. She said she would see things and she suddenly decided to
drop out of the team just before they went to Namibia. Akangoti handichada
vakuda kuenda kuBindura kwakazosarudzwa team yaienda kuNamibia.
“However, Natasha decided to pursue her dream and she vowed
that she will go as she was the captain for that team,” she said.
Gogo Tichaona continues: “When they went to Namibia that is
when it all started, we were told that it was so bad to the extent that she
could not continue playing.
“They said they would sleep around 2am every day until they
came back. They said the situation was bad that it also affected the other
children.
“We went to some spiritual people who were helping us from
Zimbabwe and they would call and help her over the phone.”
Natasha was ranked in lower percentile overall after she
only played two games which she won. The team returned home on December 25 and more strange
things unfolded.
“When they returned from Namibia we went to people who we
wanted to help the child. Each time she is under that attack she speaks in
different voices,” gogo Tichaona continues.
“Mavoices avanenge vachitaura nawo unotonzwa kuti uyu
ndinhingi uye vanenge vachitotaura kuti ungatangire vana vedu kukwira ndege
iwewe ndiwe ani. Uye vanototaura kuti chess yacho uchaitambira kudenga.”
She added that they had to move the twins to Harare to
escape the attacks.
“So after they were brought here (to Harare) my niece came
to Chivhu to help me since I’m old and had no one to look after me but suddenly
she was also attacked.
“Akanzi iwe ndiwe watizisa nyama yedu kuno wakuzviita
wakangwara manje tichapedzerana newe. Kutaura kuno mwana wangu iyeye
akatovigwa. Akashaya Saturday yesvondo rakapfura paseri akavigwa noMuvhuro
wacho.”
Gogo said after seeing the seriousness of the matter she
then deserted her home in Chivhu and is now staying with her daughter Wadzanai.
“I left my house. Ndakangokumbira tukomana twemumusha kuti
tupote tuchirara mumba mangu,” she said.
When H-Metro visited the family in Budiriro where they are
residing now, the reporters were told that Natasha has been staying in
Crowborough with one self-styed prophet who is reported to have been helping
her spiritually.
H-Metro understands that the twins lost their mother when
they were just a year old and their mother’s younger sister Wadzanai Tichaona
took care of them until they started going to school and were taken to Chivhu.
The twins are said to have been looking after their
grandmother who is now old and not feeling well.
“Since I am old and also not feeling well, I couldn’t do
anything by myself. These children came to stay with me and they were the ones
doing everything for me.
“I don’t know what these children have done to deserve all
this. They have been through a lot themselves and now this. They have really
suffered.”
Natasha is a former Mudavanhu Primary School pupil who
wrote her final grade seven examination last year and attained 10 units while
her sister had 11 units.
They are supposed to be in form one this year but the
family cannot afford to send them to school.
Gogo Tichaona is therefore appealing for help so that she
can be able to see her granddaughter back at school.
“I want to see them succeed in life. They are good at
school and very good in chess.
“If they can be able to go back to school and achieve their
dreams I will be happy. I am also appealing for spiritual help so that they are
freed.
“My granddaughters are intelligent. They were doing fine in
both Chess and at school. But I don’t know why people do this.”
Contacted for comment, the official who went with the team
to Namibia refused to talk to the media.
A villager who spoke to H-Metro on condition of anonymity
said most children in Chivhu no longer want to play chess.
“It is a sad story indeed. Most pupils here in Chivhu no
longer want to play chess they are thinking this is what happens to everyone
who does the sport. If there are people who can help this family please do.
“We want them to become a testimony. Even the teacher who went with the children to Namibia is
also being targeted,” said the villager. H Metro
0 comments:
Post a Comment