When husband Fred Mano appeared to have lost his head over other girls, Rudo reined him in by lacing his food with a powerful love potion that she had secured from a traditional healer without his knowledge.

The herbalist told her to prepare food and mix it with powder made from herbs, whispering: "From today you're mine alone till death do us part."

From the day car salesman Mano ate the food mixed with the love portion, he became a changed man.

He goes home in Mbare suburb, Harare, straight after work, unlike in the past when he used to be away from home for days on end for no apparent reason.

Though Rudo is happy that her husband is paying more attention to her than in the past, she sometimes feels embarrassed that he is always following wherever she goes.

Farai Tamaka (28) of New Tafara, Harare, believes love potions work, and that they have a big role to play in modern society because of the increase in cases of domestic disputes.

"Most women," she says, "end up preparing love potions for their husbands because of ill-treatment or lack of attention.

"Married men are usually involved in love affairs with girlfriends. These prepare love potions for them, forcing the wives to follow suit since there will be competition.

"There is nothing wrong with love potions," adds Tamaka, "if they are not abused since they cement the relationship between husband and wife."

Zimbabwe Traditional Healers Associa-tion spokesman Dr Peter Sibanda says love potions are now being used more than in the past.

"In fact, 90 percent of my clients will be in need of love potions because they reduce the divorce rate," he says.

"There is even a new trend in which husbands are now preparing love potions for their wives so that they will not divorce them, especially in cases where the wife is the breadwinner.

"Some love potions," Dr Sibanda admits, "are being abused. For example, love potions prepared using python fat result in the husband becoming dull and sleeping any time."

He says love potions are administered in various ways and these include drinking, eating or bathing with water mixed with the herbs.

"Nowadays there is a popular form of love potion known as mudano (calling) in which the wife calls the name of the husband and he leaves whatever he will be doing while rushing home to be with the wife," Dr Sibanda says.

"I recently assisted a woman whose husband had deserted her by going to Britain. The mudano love potion I gave her resulted in her husband coming home to see his wife and family."

Evangelist Joe Mutate says that, from a cultural perspective, the definition of a love potion has to do with one trying to change, redirect and control someone's feelings towards oneself.

"It is a proven fact that the principle of reciprocation does not work with love potions since love and appreciation of someone must be by choice not coercion," he says.

"Love potions do exist, but administering them is not the best way of solving marital problems.

"Married couples should seek professional counselling on marital problems as well as trusting in God."

Mrs Tafadzwa Siyo (63) of Domboshawa says love potions play a crucial role in cementing marriages.

"Traditionally," she says, "love potions were treated with respect because these were not aimed at undermining the authority of the husband, but ensuring mutual love between the two of them.

"It is unheard of that a wife could administer a poisonous love potion like the one involving the fat of a python.

"The motive behind love potions in modern society," says Mrs Siyo, "appears to be driven by the desire for wives or husbands to subdue their partners to their wishes."

The spokesperson for the Women Action Group says she does not believe that love potions exist.

"We believe," she says, "there is nothing like love potions, and maybe this is only a myth."

Mr Fred Mano's wife, Rudo of Mbare, however, does not regret having tamed her husband through the use of love potions.

"At least this muti saved my marriage," she says, "that had been on the brink of breaking down."