The Sunday Mail
Desire Ncube
ZIMBABWE Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) has been operating without a registration number and a license from the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council (TMPC), it has been established.
TMPC is an arm of the Ministry of Health and Child Care and is mandated to regulate traditional medical activities in Zimbabwe.
According to the TMPC Act, it is a criminal offence for an association or an individual to operate without a registration number and a valid license.
TMPC has the right to delete from the register any organisation that fails to pay its annual subscriptions.
Information gathered by The Sunday Mail Religion revealed that Zinatha has been using their past glory to lure people into becoming their affiliates.
“Traditional healers who are affiliated to Zinatha pay US$100 to be a member but they (Zinatha) are failing to pay an annual subscription of US$250,” TMPC registrar, Ms Joyce Guhwa said.
“We once had a meeting with them and we told them that if they are not paying their annual subscriptions they are operating like a bogus association, but they keep on promising to come (to pay).”
Ms Guhwa said Zinatha only collected their registration number a fortnight ago but said their subscriptions are lagging behind.
“Zinatha must be up to date with their subscriptions.They are concentrating more on gain at the expense of professionalism,” she added.
The TMPC act states that (1) “Subject to this Act, it shall be of lawful (sic) for a registered traditional medical practitioner to engage for gain in the practice of traditional medical practitioners.
(2) subject to subsection (4) and (5), any person who, not being registered as a traditional medical practitioner
(a) pretends, or carries on business as a traditional medical practitioner, whether or not purporting to be registered; or
(b) pretends, or by any means whatsoever holds himself out, to be a registered traditional medical practitioner; or
(c) uses the title “Registered Traditional Medical Practitioner” or any name ,title, description or symbol indicating or calculating to lead persons to infer that he is registered as a traditional medical practitioner in terms of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level eight or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
Zinatha president, Mr George Kandiero said his association is a full member of TMPC.
However, he admitted that their subscriptions are lagging behind.
“There is someone who is trying to sow discord in our field but what I can tell you is that we are an affiliate to TMPC.
“Just like anyone else, we are behind in terms of subscription payment but we are a full member, even if I ask you, you might be behind in your rental payment,” Mr Kandiero said.
But Ms Guhwa fired back and said other traditional medical associations such as International Traditional Healers Association (ITHA), Zimbabwe Traditional Healers Association (ZITHA) and Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association are up to date with their subscriptions.
