Loliondo: Cure or quackery?

William Lukuvi,(Minister of State in the Prime Minister`s Office (Policy, Coordination & National Assembly), receives a cup from Babu


When Ambilikile Mwasapile (78) announced possessing a “magic cure” revealed to him by God through a dream famously known as “Kikombe cha babu” or Grand’s cup, some of us thought: he would not dupe anybody. But we were dead wrong.

Situated in Samunge village Loliondo Ngorongoro district, Arusha Tanzania, Mwasapile, all of the sudden, has become a legend who steals thunders.

Currently, Tanzania’s government is less influential and active compared to this retired Lutheran Reverend. If anything, Mwasapile runs a show himself so as to outsmart the government that recently hurriedly authorized his concoction.

All ears, eyes, mind and hopes are pinned on this man. Mwasapile has paralyzed everything.

Tanzanians, before the advent of Mwasapile, were crucifying their government for keeping them in dark for over a year thanks to mega corruption in energy investment. There was a mega scandal in which the authorities had already consented to pay Tshs 94,000,000,000 to a dubious company owned by one influential MP who also is President Jakaya Kikwete close friend and sponsor. All national attention was vectored on this scandal. But after the genesis of Babu all these discussions went under!

Many believe this is conspiracy between Babu and government to divert attention from the corrupt government. For, many bigwigs in high corridors of power are heading for Loliondo to sip from the magic cup everyday.

True, bigwigs going to Babu are not only Tanzanians. Recently, the mother of DRC’s president Joseph Kabila, Sifa Maanya Kabila was spotted in this remote area sipping from the magic cup. Many people from all over the world are flocking Loliondo to get this miracle cure-all. At least this mitigates the fact that Tanzanians are superstitious and loony.

While this is going on, some Thomases are revealing the ugly side of Babu. They are many testimonies showing that those that drunk from the cup have not been cured or recuperated.

This mixed with the fable regarding Babu’s defence of his “miracle cure”, makes more sense. When he surfaced, Babu said that his concoction cures HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases such as diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure and cancer within a week. When Babu saw the multitudes doubling, he added another seducing disease-sexual inability.

Thereafter, he shifted gears and goals so as to say that it can take up to two weeks for one to be cured.

Recently, Babu added more controversy by urging people taking his medication not to stop taking ARVs!

Notably, another controversial is the fact that when Babu surfaced disclosed the herb he uses to cure his disciples. He said openly that he uses Carissa edulis. After this disclosure some smart guys thought they can use the same to cure. Knowing that Tanzanians are good at aping and copying Babu came with a condition. This herb can not work until the concoction is given by Babu himself as per “God’s directions.”

But as the days go by, Babu seems to have forgotten “God’s proscriptions-cum-prescriptions.” For, after being tired thanks to the melee of patients that are flocking his compound, he recently authorized his helpers to offer the concoction that God ordered it should be offered by Babu’s hand only!

There are many myths surrounding Babu’s magic bullet. Many Babus, Bibis even Dadas and Kakas are cropping up every day almost in every province of Tanzania. No one knows how many they are currently in Tanzania. Some critics are calling Tanzania Nchi ya Vikombe namely the Country of Magic Cups.

Ironically, what baffles is the fact that the Tanzanian authorities are in bed with this con. For every con man or woman who contending is under God’s instructions to cure, is just allowed to offer his or her unproved concoctions to the people!

More often than not, many sane minds are asking, are Tanzanians more religious than others so as to make God favour them? Is it because Tanzanians are more superstitious than others so as to blindly swallow such nonsense that does not need a college degree to unveil?

There are many more questions. Who would believe that in 21st century of advanced Scientific and technological leap forward the whole country would be captivated by abracadabra? This is Tanzania.
Source: The African Executive Magazine April 13-20, 2011.