Loliondo: ‘Mother of all cures’ 50,000 people are reported to be waiting for treatment from a herbal

[nngu007]

Seventy-six-year old Ambilike Masapila (right)
providing his concoction to one of the
enthusiastic.

Some of the patients who thronged Mzee Masapila’s compound seeking
treatments

Loliondo: ‘Mother of all cures’
Single dose alleged to cure AIDS, cancer, diabetes, ulcers, asthma, hypertension

There isn’t an inch to place a foot at the remote Sonjo plains near Loliondo, where at least 50,000 people are reported to be waiting for treatment from a herbal formula.
There was almost stampede last weekend when the multitude thronged the provider of the alleged mother of all cures, Ambilikile Masapila, in their quest to get his elixir.
Authorities have already dispatched teams of police officers to reinforce security in the Samunge Village where the ‘potent’ potion is being issued.
So far it is extremely difficult for the vehicles to fit into the Sonjo plains’ and latest developments from Loliondo reveal that cars are now forced to park up to 12 kilometers from the healer’s house to avoid congestion.
The secret elixir of Loliondo is said to be capable of curing five most deadly human diseases and is being brewed by Mr Ambilikile Masapila who originally hails from Kiwira-Mwankenja location of Rungwe District in Mbeya region.
Masapila, now known as ‘Babu’ has set up shop at Samunge in the Digo-digo ward of Ngorongoro District where all the roads seem to be leading to at the moment.
The former priest is the center of attention nationwide with at least 200 vehicles of various sizes flooding onto the remote plains on daily basis, carrying people who are suffering various ailments to find the ultimate cure.
And the cure comes in form of light-brownish liquid served in cups and is only taken once as a single dose. The medicine is only effective when taken at the site which means a patient cannot go home with it. To reach the drought stricken, dusty plains one has to travel over 550 kilometers from Arusha on extremely rough tracks in location with no water, house, public services or phone coverage.
The Ngorongoro District Commissioner Mr Elias Wawa Lali said his office has already taken samples of the ‘medicine’ as well as the herbs brewed from it to the Government Chemist in Dar-es-Salaam for analysis.
But as far as Mzee Masapila is concerned it is the spiritual power than chemical content which does the job, which means the scientists at the state laboratories may not exactly, find much.
Masapila elixir is reportedly guaranteed to heal diabetes, tuberculosis, recurrent fevers, stomach ulcers, malignant cancer, asthma and HIV-Aids.
The maker charges just five hundred shillings (Tsh 500, about 30 US cents) per potion of his magic formula. Money is not an issue in his treatment.
And many people just love the way he treats patients because Masapila hardly asks any question; “Just drink the potion knowing yourself what ails you,” he says and accompanies the treatment with prayers.
Hundreds have claimed to be totally healed after taking Mr Masapila’s brew.
Without any medical background, Mr Masapila aged 75, who once served as pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania reveals that ‘God’ had shown him the tree from which he extract his herbs, in a dream and that was back in 1991.
He was shown the tree whose roots (or leaves) once boiled in water will be able to cure many difficult diseases including HIV-Aids.
Apparently also, not every Tom, Dick, Harry and Mollel can use the herbs to heal, it is only him. He does not accept gifts or favors which means the rich also have to queue.
Nearly 1.5 million people in Tanzania are living with HIV/Aids, with over 140,000 of them being children. The ‘Sonjo’ medicine man’s claims have started to raise eyebrows but as more chartered planes continue to land at the Arusha Airport and passengers hiring Land-Cruisers to meet him, controversies keep being overshadowed.
Patients hail from almost all regions of Tanzania and of late from Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Babu Masapila says he is also treating patients from Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
‘Babu’ Masapila however cannot guarantee the healing of some diseases; “Eye problems and other physical disabilities may not be cured by the potion,” he says.
A medical doctor at Wasso Hospital who preferred anonymity was a bit philosophical about HIV-Aids healing claims; “Many people, including some of our patients have testified to have been healed of various diseases, but I think those undergoing ARV medications should continue with their dosages even after taking the ‘magic potion,” he said.

 

[Michewen]

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