Elderly Killings: ‘The Fear Of Growing Old While Poor In Gusii Land’

KISII, Kenya, Nov 20- Rampant poverty and fight over property has led to killings of the elderly, accused of practicing witchcraft, in Kisii County according to a new report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

Increased use of cannabis sativa, identified in local dialect as Nyasore, and mostly among jobless youth was also identified as a driver of the killings.

“The community members and elders believe that alcohol, drug and substance abuse is strongly and consistently associated with violent crime in the region especially among the youthful population,” reads a section of the report.

The findings in the new KNCHR report were anchored on the unfortunate October 17, 2021 killings of four people, who were accused of being witches.

All the victims were women, among them two grannies aged 92 and 85 years.

They were attacked by a group of youth who set them alight after hacking and bludgeoning them with crude weapons.

“The women were subjected to extreme brutality and all except Rael Sigara were burnt beyond recognition. A student from a local secondary school who was alleged to have been bewitched by the women identified them as the witches,” KNCHR said in the report.

All four women were widows. Further, all of them lived in poverty in a rural setting. One of the killed women had a mental disability which greatly increased her vulnerability.

“In conversations with community members during the public forum in Marani and with the Abagusii elders, a common view was that old women have often been the primary targets of witchcraft accusations,” KNCHR said.

Seven suspects were arrested and charged with murder following the Marani killings.

Tens of such killings have occurred within the county over the years and the report has a myriad of recommendations, towards eliminating the vice.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights submits a report on the Lynching of four women in Marani to the Kisii witchcraft taskforce.

According to the state agency Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bernard Mogesa in spite of the human rights protections entrenched in the Constitution and international laws ratified by Kenya, the practice of lynching persons suspected to be witches is still rampant, particularly in Gusii land and Kilifi and Kwale Counties.

The October lynching incident in Kisii, he said, “was an egregious violation of the rights of the victims.”

“One community member mused that once her hair starts greying, she would have to apply dye to avoid being accused of being a witch. Essentially, what the practice of lynching has done is to instill in women the fear of growing old while poor.”

Majority of those who participate in the killings, the report pointed out, are young men with no employment and little education.

“Such youth had turned to crime to make ends meet and could do whatever it took to acquire property. Elderly widowed women were said to be easy prey,” KNCHR CEO said.

To end the killings, KNCHR wants authorities to develop programmes of awareness-raising to combat harmful practices and initiate social change to promote positive practices and beliefs.

Further, the state agency says faith-Based Organizations should take a more proactive role in educating people on the need to uphold the sanctity of human life.

“In addition, foster collaboration between Faith-Based Organizations and the County Government in conducting public education awareness and sensitization,” it reads.

 The County Governments have been asked to engage and empower all concerned, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities and in particular, persons with albinism, and other vulnerable groups such as the elderly.

Authorities were also asked to adopt a county plan to end the discrimination and harmful practices related to beliefs in witchcraft.

According to KNCHR, at least 100 people are killed every year in Kisii, Kilifi, and Kwale Counties, for being accused of being witches. Most of the victims are women.