GHOSTS OF THE STRUGGLE: CHIKWAKA MAN HAUNTED BY SPIRIT OF FALLEN COMRADE
By Clive Tawanda Munyaradzi in Chikwaka (Goromonzi)
A spine-chilling confession has shaken the quiet community of Chikwaka in Goromonzi, where an elderly man, Erisha Ngoshi, has claimed he is being tormented by the ngozi (avenging spirit) of a man he murdered during Zimbabwe’s liberation war.
Erisha, now in his late 60s, reportedly began experiencing disturbing hallucinations and vivid nightmares in which he would shout out names of people he alleges to have killed during the war. The most persistent of these apparitions was a man named Peter Maringapasi, whose spirit, according to Erisha, has been relentlessly haunting him.
Overcome with fear and remorse, Erisha approached Chief Chikwaka to confess his wartime crimes. He revealed that Peter was not given a proper burial, but rather, his remains were thrown into a disused mine shaft, which is said to be extremely deep and now overgrown with weeds.
“I can no longer sleep. He speaks to me in my dreams, demanding to be honoured in death,” Erisha reportedly told the Chief. Erisha was just 21 years old when he committed the killing. The disused shaft, located several kilometres from the main road, has now become the focus of a traditional investigation. Chief Chikwaka, recognising the cultural and spiritual seriousness of ngozi, has called for traditional leaders and spirit mediums to assess the situation and determine the next steps for appeasing the restless spirit.
Relatives of Peter Maringapasi have since urged Erisha to disclose the names of other individuals who were involved in the killing, insisting that full disclosure is necessary for justice and proper cleansing rituals.
A Cheuka community resident, who requested anonymity, said:
“If Peter’s spirit is not appeased properly, it may bring misfortune not only to Erisha but to his entire bloodline. Our customs demand justice and cleansing.”
Villagers are now watching closely as traditional authorities prepare for possible rituals at the site. The incident has stirred a deep reflection on unresolved traumas from the liberation struggle, and how spiritual reconciliation continues to play a powerful role in rural Zimbabwe.
As the winds of history blow through the mine shaft, Chikwaka stands as a reminder that the past—especially when buried without dignity—never truly sleeps.
