BINDURA, Zimbabwe — Two women drowned on July 28 while performing a manjuzu ritual at Nyaure River in Bindura, police said.

The ritual, led by a self-styled prophet, involved five young women in the Chief Masembura area and has reignited debate over the existence and practices surrounding manjuzu, or mermaid spirits.

National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “The ZRP confirms a sad incident in which two women drowned in Nyaure River in Manhenga, Bindura, while performing traditional rites known as manjuzu.

”The victims have been identified as Ellen Mulauzi, 49, and Ethel Nyabundu, 22. The bodies were referred to Bindura Provincial Hospital for post mortem.”

Speaking to the ZBC, the self-styled prophet said: “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. 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.”

Headman Masembura condemned the ritual, warning that Nyaure River is considered sacred and must be approached with traditional reverence.

“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.

“We asked these people what exactly they were doing and this self-styled prophet said he brought rice, sweets and biscuits and wine to appease the mermaid spirits of their deceased colleague.

“In this river, we have never heard of mermaids but spiritual things are hard to understand because there are spiritual beings under water so it could be like that.”

Manjuzu rituals have grown in popularity among young women, who believe that connection with marine spirits can bring wealth or fame. But not all traditionalists approve of how the practices are being conducted.

“The thing that has happened here is shocking, some people are just saying we are mermaids but there are procedures to be done and people who go down with people to rivers should have spiritual eyesight,” said Sekuru Nzou, a traditional healer.

Nyasha Simon, who specialises in spiritual practices, said many are being misled.

“What I know regards manjuzu is that there are real manjuzu and those which are fake, those who buy fake mermaid spirits use magic and they can end up in Satanism,” she said.

“There are two types of mermaid spirits: there are manjuzu enhope where people dream of spirits and fetch medicine in rivers, then there are some spirits which make people rich.

“Manjuzu are there but many people especially us young women, are abusing them and being conned by fake prophets all in the name of getting rich quickly.

“So, if you go to rivers with a hidden agenda you can end up drowning because you won’t get along with the mermaid spirits.”

Traditional leaders have urged communities to approach sacred rituals with caution and to consult proper channels, warning that spiritual missteps can have fatal consequences.