Two women have drowned in the Nyaure River in Bindura, Zimbabwe during a ritual believed to be linked to the controversial practice of “manjuzu”, a form of mermaid spirit worship that has gained traction among some young women in Zimbabwe seeking wealth or fame.
The incident occurred during a spiritual session led by a self-proclaimed prophet who claimed the purpose of the gathering was to invoke mermaid spirits believed to inhabit sacred waters. The prophet, whose identity has not been disclosed, later confirmed to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) that his wife was among those who drowned.
“I went with some women to pray and I wanted to invoke the mermaid spirits. These people had their own issues and during this process one of us was taken by the spirits,” he said. “We then went into the water to try and rescue her and one of them died. In the process, my wife also died during the rescue.”
The deaths have sparked renewed concern over unsanctioned rituals and the growing trend of spiritual practices associated with manjuzu, which often involve offerings and symbolic acts conducted in rivers and other water bodies.
Traditional authorities have expressed alarm. Headman Masembura condemned the ritual and cautioned against performing spiritual ceremonies without proper guidance or respect for sacred locations.
“These are sacred waters, and there are underground spiritual creatures there. So, every time you go there you must follow proper rituals and you must ask the leaders of this place,” he said.
He also revealed that the prophet admitted to bringing rice, sweets, biscuits, and wine as offerings to appease the mermaid spirits, reportedly on behalf of a deceased colleague.