Alarm as eight elderly are killed in Kilifi over witchcraft claims

At least eight elders have been murdered in three months in Kilifi, sparking fears of a re-emergence of gangs that indiscriminately kill the elderly in the county on suspicion of witchcraft.

The eight were brutally murdered at Madunguni village in Kakuyuni ward, Malindi Constituency, according to the community peace and security committee chairman, Athuman Ali.

Ali, who claimed that the gangs were paid between Sh2000 and Sh500 to kill the elderly, linked the murders to family feuds over land ownership or inheritance.

"When a family feels their elderly father, mother, or a relative is inhibiting or frustrating their interests, they brand them witches and pay a gang as little as Sh500 to kill them," said Ali.

Speaking to the press outside Malindi Police Station, Ali said, "More than eight elderly people have been killed in the past three months, and we want justice for them."

He stated that the actual number of fatalities over the past three months might be even higher, emphasising that Malindi and Magarini are particularly affected by incidents of violence driven by superstition and the desire for land.

On May 14, Nyevu Katana, 54, a resident of the Madunguni area, was murdered outside her neighbour's house due to allegations of witchcraft. As of now, the police have not made any arrests related to the case.

Madunguni Community Policing Chairman Francis Katana said the body of the deceased was found lying in a pool of blood in front of her neighbour's house at around 8 pm.

He stated that the body exhibited multiple severe head injuries, which were believed to have been inflicted by a sharp object.

In the family, there was a primary school boy who died mysteriously while in school; he collapsed in the school toilet, and he was pronounced dead in the hospital. So because the boy was said to have quarrelled with the deceased the previous day, the family concluded that she was responsible for the boy's sudden death,'' he said.

Katana says every misfortune, from infertility to business failures, is blamed on an elder, adding that it has become a norm when someone young dies in a homestead; some families dig two graves instead of one.

''Every death or accident is attributed to witchcraft. It’s always someone’s fault, usually a grandparent, parent, stepmother, widowed aunt or a jealous neighbour,” he says.

So when a death occurs, as they prepare for funerals, they dig two graves and vow that the alleged wizard must be buried the same day as the deceased, and they make sure that the person will be killed before that day comes, he says.

In addition, Katana notes that families often refuse to cooperate, resulting in many cases being dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

''Many families do not give evidence, making it difficult for investigators to find concrete evidence to prosecute suspects.''

The wave of killings has forced many elderly people to flee their homes in fear for their lives.

The government and a few well-wishers have constructed a few shelters to protect the elderly in Kilifi.