Sekuru Banda

Background

Sekuru Banda was born in Malawi in 1973 Mangoli Katuli village in Malawi. Banda is married with four children. He is a practicing Muslim.

Education

Sekuru Banda indicated that he refined his healing skills at Ghana Herbal Medical Students’ Association (GHEMSA) institute in Kumasi Ghana for four years.

Career

Bandas' popularity began when an article was written by Kwayedza in 2017 that a baboon had been seen at a small house. Ever since then Banda became a public figure. It was reported that 'healing' was part of his family clan and that he started healing when he was young in Malawi. ^[3] Sekuru Banda conducts his business in Cranborne and along Simon Mazorodze there are commuter omnibuses which specifically commute to his residence.

Sekuru Banda has gained fame that he attracts crowds where he travels. It was reported that in September 2017 whilst at Mbudzi roundabout he had to seek refuge at a nearby police. However, the crowd followed him to the police station and sought his help. In the end, after the crowd failed to disburse Banda reportedly helped a number of people. Similarly, he had to be assisted by the police to escape a crowd of people at the Harare Agricultural Show.

[4]

Jah Prayzah Launch Attendance

It was reported that when Jah Prayzah launched his album Angel lo with Jah Cure, Sekuru Banda was in attendance. ^[5] When a reporter interviewed Sekuru Banda he reportedly replied that he was invited by Jah Prayzah.

“He is the one who invited me here. He gave me a call and I was very excited about it that is why I’m here,” said Sekuru Banda, adding, “Jah Prayzah is like a young brother to me now. I like his music because it is rooted in traditionalism and his message is on point plus everyone can listen to Jah Prayzah, from young kids to old men and women.”

Testimonial Videos

Visiting the Harare Agriculture Show 2018

Sekuru Banda attended the 2018 Harare Agriculture show where he visited various exhibition stands including the ZBC stand, Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Seed Co Limited. At the Harare Agricultural Show Banda said apart from promoting the tourism sector, he was also playing a vital role in the provision of primary health care.^[6]

2018 Agriculture Show visit Video

Epworth Tour

In August 2018 Sekuru Banda visited Epworth a suburb in Harare where he mixed and mingled with local residents. Large crowds gathered around him asd he toured vegetable markets and the informal industry in the suburb.

Epworth Tour Video

Health Tourism Ambassador

Sekuru Banda said the government should recognize his efforts in contributing positively to economic growth and promoting religious tourism as his clients were drawn from across the globe.^[7]

He also claimed that:

his services were being sought after by people from different social classes, races and religious beliefs across the globe, thereby generating the much-needed foreign currency. There are a lot of people who still believe in the African tradition and recognize that traditional medicines are very effective. That is why we are recording a significant number of foreign delegates, not only coming from Southern Africa but as far as Japan, China, Sweden and Australia to consult me.

“By bringing these foreigners, we are also promoting tourism in a way as we are contributing towards rebuilding Zimbabwe, as these visitors are bringing in foreign currency. Those foreigners who come here, are booked at hotels and also spend money in our local shops and that is bringing business to the country.”

“Several prominent preachers and church leaders usually visit me at night. Of course, when they go to the pulpit, they preach against my practices, but I don’t mind helping them .

Speaking on Genetic resources and Preservation of sacred locations

Banda urged the government and the public to respect sacred locations and shrines.H e said that these shrines and genetic resources are of paramount importance to a country's heritage and History. Banda said this whilst touring the Africa village which is being constructed and managed by the Dzimbanhete Arts and Culture Interactions Trust at Nharira Hills near Norton.

Sekuru Banda Speaking on the importance of historic Shrines

Visiting Cholera Hot spots

Sekuru Banda visited Glenview Poly Clinic and Tichagarika area where the Cholera epidemic was initially recorded and claimed many lives. At the Clinic, Sekuru Banda mingled with the nursing staff and visited the cholera quarantine tents stationed at the clinic. Sekuru Banda also used the visit to reach out to families who lost their loved ones to the Cholera epidemic. He donated hygienic products to about a hundred families including Jane Mandaza Nyamweda (one of the victims of cholera in the Tichagarika area)’s family.

During the visit, Sekuru Banda also thanked various stakeholders who have joined hands to combat the Cholera epidemic. He applauded the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, Strive Masiyiwa and Econet for making the fight against Cholera a top priority.

I would like to thank the Government and His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa for making the fight against cholera a top priority. I would also like to thank Econet Zimbabwe and Strive Masiyiwa for contributing significant financial resources in the fight against cholera. They are many stakeholders who are doing great work in curbing the epidemic I would like to thank them also and to urge them to keep up the good work. This is a national problem which needs unity of purpose and together we can defeat this epidemic which has orphaned and widowed so many people

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Donating R11 Million worth of goods to people living with Albinism

Sekuru Banda donated sunscreen lotions, sun-hats, soap, and groceries worth 11 million rands for people living with albinism. Sekuru Banda revealed his plans to distribute the items to clinics and hospitals in both urban and rural areas as well as to organisations that cater to people with albinism countrywide.

Said Banda:

We bought these goods at a whopping cost of R11 million from South Africa so as to help every person with albinism. It is summer in the Southern African region, Zimbabwe included. People with albinism need hats to protect them from the sun because their skin and eyes react to direct sunlight. These people also have skin problems so the sunscreen lotions will protect them.

Rufaro Chinyanga a Poet, writer and academic who advocates for the rights of people living with albinism said the work being done Sekuru Banda would go a long way in improving their lives. In thanking Sekuru Banda, Chinyanga narrated an ordeal he went through in the high-density suburb of Mbare in trying to highlight the discrimination that people with albinism face in every day of their lives.

Said Chinyanga:

Mbare is a very interesting place for me. It is a place where you find all manner of social evils: those who trade in love (sex workers); those who do pocket banking (theft); teenage pregnancies; drugs; HIV think-tanks; Zimdancehall stars and producers. Everything is at half price in Mbare but something that strikes me is the joy on peoples faces in the midst of this social chaos. This past weekend as I was dressed up ready to go out and have fun a guy passed me and said, “Hey Albino boy!” It pissed me off. I wanted to beat him up but I said to myself, “No. I won't stoop to your level. I’m going to have fun today. The devil get behind me. I walked away and my outing turned out nice

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Top 10 Achievers’ Forum Zimbabwe list

Banda ^[9]emerged the best on the Top 10 list of most popular and powerful religious leaders in Zimbabwe that was released by Achievers’ Forum Zimbabwe.

According to Achievers Forum Zimbabwe (AFZ), the survey looked at influence and power the religious leaders wield in society.^[10]

Achievers Forum Zimbabwe:

This man has done some things, things that most even some Christian leaders have envied despite difference in religions. He has attracted the, who is who in Southern Africa at his ‘surgery’ including Presidents, cabinet ministers, foreigners and socialites in Cranborne.

He has been criticised for some of his practices, yet somehow, he manages to rise up above everything with his die-hard followers clapping for him. He is the religious leader everyone loves to hate, but he undeniably has the ears of most Zimbabweans. When he speaks, people listen. This makes him the most influential religious leader in the country at the moment. In terms of philanthropy, he has donated to several charity organisations. In terms of wealth, he boasts of several businesses in transport, oil and agriculture sectors.

With his flamboyance, one would think the traditional healer is a movie star. Pretty glamorous and charming for a typical traditional healer, the herbalist is now trendy and fashion-conscious. He drives the latest Range Rovers and owns houses in the leafy suburbs of Harare. Although his net worth could not be ascertained, he was definitely the most influential religious leader in 2018.

Urging the community to respect women and girls

Banda urged the nation to respects women's rights as well as the rights of young girls with regards to Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). Said Banda:

Religious leaders should uphold and respect women’s SRH rights. As a traditional healer, I deal with thousands of cases of women needing assistance on sexual and reproductive health issues. One issue that the government and other relevant stakeholders including medical doctors, traditional healers, educationists and others should deal with is the issue of menstruation among women and girls. As for me, I do a lot in healing women with uncontrolled period pains, ovarian cists, barrenness and other ailments. My appeal is for the government to scrap duty on sanitary pads and make them easily available and affordable to all women and girls who need them.

Banda also revealed that he despises gender-based violence and urged the courts to come up with stiffer penalties against offenders.

Gender-based violence does not only come in the form of physical abuse. Most marriages are punctuated by verbal abuse resulting in psychological torture among spouses. Some of the spouses end up committing suicide. As a traditional healer, I am against male chauvinism where by the men appears to bark the orders without respecting women and girls. Divorce is also a form of mental torture and it is one of my duties to promote blissful marriages. Happy families are a critical ingredient of development within societies,” Sekuru Banda said while inviting couples to approach him for his services.

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Celebrating National tree planting day

Sekuru Banda celebrated National tree planting day by planting trees at the National parks’ balancing rocks in Epworth Harare. Sekuru Banda said that Zimbabwe has been losing trees annually due to forest destruction by veld fires and cutting down of trees for fire wood. He also mentioned that December is the right time for citizens of Zimbabwe to embark on a massive tree planting exercise as the rainy season is conducive for tree planting.

Trees are a national treasure and an asset for us traditional healers. Trees reverse the impact of land degradation, provide food, energy, medicine and income which helps communities achieve long term economic and environmental sustainability they also help in curbing the scourge of Climate change. As a traditional healer I know the value trees have and also urge the nation to see that same value and stop the cutting down of trees. We must preserve all-natural resources for the benefit of our future generation let us not only think of ourselves but ask ourselves what future shall we bequeath to the future generation if we are not responsible enough to manage or reproduce the resources we have.

Sekuru Banda on HIV/AIDS

Sekuru Banda, acknowledgED that the goal of ending the Aids epidemic in the country by 2030 was within reach but he said that he believes Zimbabwe could face a mammoth task in meeting the United Nations’ 90-90-90 targets by 2020.

The country is doing well on managing HIV and on the right track regarding meeting the 90-90-90 targets by 2020, but I feel it’s insurmountable because of a number of issues, chief being deliberate omission of traditional healers in HIV programming,” Sekuru Banda told Standard Style on Thursday. “For 2020 it could be unattainable because we are just a year away, but we could be on course to end Aids by 2030 if we embrace indigenous knowledge systems in our primary health care, particularly on HIV and Aids.

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Trivia

Sekuru Banda was reported to be part of a soccer team which was named after his son Nourride’s nickname, Dhudhudha Stars.

References