Tanzanian Ambilikile Mwasapila aka Babu wa Loliondo, a retired Lutheran countryside pastor, is dead. Ambilikile shot to fame by using his ‘magic’ cup of herbal concoctions to ‘treat’ life threatening diseases like HIV Aids.

Babu wa Loliondo suddenly became the most visible media personality and healer in East Africa for half a year in 2011. He had received dreams in which God provided him with the recipe for a herbal medicine that would heal all maladies.

Lutheran bishops who had all but abandoned the elderly pastor in his former remote mission field eagerly approved his ministry, while reception in Charismatic churches was mixed. After initial suspicion, the government strongly backed him, and the national research hospital vaguely endorsed the medicine, which is essentially the same as traditional medicine in several ethnic groups.

Thus, in this ministry modern scientific, Christian, and traditional worldviews suddenly corresponded, thereby easing the tensions between the three life worlds of Tanzanian Christians. After the deaths of several hiv-positive patients who had abandoned antiretroviral (arv) drugs, the magic of the healer vanished.

‘Babu’ passed away on Friday 30th July, 2021 after a short illness. His death was confirmed by one of his former assistants, Paul Dudui.

The late ‘Babu’ will be remembered for hosting thousands of patients who traveled long distances to receive his magic healing concoction.