The Observer (Kampala)
Diana Nabiruma
11 November 2009
Mumbwa is one of the commonest traditional forms of medical treatment. However, it is shrouded in such mysticism that one could easily end up misusing it. For instance, did you know that it is possible to have an overdose of mumbwa? Did you also know that some mumbwa are best taken after a meal or when one is going to bed?
Traditional counsellor with Traditional and Modern Health Practitioners Together Against AIDS (THETA), Ssenga Bernadette Nabantazi, also says mumbwa can last for up to 200 years. The clay, one of its main ingredients, makes this possible.
But first, the process through which mumbwa is made. Herbs are collected and stored for 3-5 days so that they can maintain their ability to heal. After this, they are put out to dry and then pounded into a fine substance.
It is this fine substance that is mixed with clay (the clay used must be fine without sand) and rolled into different shapes to make the mumbwa as we know it. Mumbwa can reportedly cure up to 150 diseases, including cough, stomach pains, headaches, skin ailments and measles. Pregnant women in particular stand to gain a lot from mumbwa if Ssenga Nabantazi is to be believed.
She says there is mumbwa that helps expectant women deal with morning sickness. It is this mumbwa that helps boost their appetite and helps give them strength. It stops them from spitting too much too. It is taken for a month after which another type of mumbwa is given to those women that want their babies to have good skin.
At 7 ½ or 8 months of pregnancy (if this is one's first child for the former and for subsequent children for the latter), another type of mumbwa is given to the mother to deal with constipation, which if not dealt with, hinders the baby from positioning itself in such a way that it can easily be pushed out of the body.
Ssenga Nabantazi says that much as the mumbwa can cure many ailments, some of them say, snake bites, are best treated by medical personnel. She points out too that it is important not to put too many herbs that cure so many ailments in one mumbwa.
You must have come across people selling you mumbwa that cures measles, scabies, heart disease, etc. She says such mumbwa is not good.
Since we are talking about caution here, it is important to note that if not used well, mumbwa can be dangerous. For instance, there is a possibility of overdosing. It is advisable to take a ¼ cup and a herbalist's directions must be followed. Too much mumbwa causes constipation.
Also, one should look at labels before using it so that mumbwa meant for external purposes is not used for internal purposes. It should also be prepared with clean hands and be stored well, say in a bottle.
By the way, some mumbwa is now available in tablet form!
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