Mukhisa Kituyi Versus Musikari Kombo In Witchcraft Country

In many Kenyan communities nobody dies a natural death, everybody is murdered, usually by using witchcraft. It gets a little ridiculous and even hilarious when an old man of 80 dies in their sleep and the village gossips get down to serious work trying to work out a plausible conspiracy theory.

The recent misfortunes of cabinet Minister Mukhisa Kituyi must have excited quite a lot of activity amongst the Bukusu and witchdoctors in the area must be really cashing in. They are probably wondering where they can find the young men who car-jacked the minister so as to reward them for helping them land this windfall at a time when the Kenyan shilling is rather scarce. Especially in rural Western Kenya. Opps did I say Western Kenya? Actually the Bukusu are in Rift Valley (who will ever understand the strange politically instigated borders in that part of the country).

Picture this. Dr Kituyi's wife is admitted at Aga Khan Hospital. Meanwhile his mother is also admitted at another Nairobi hospital. As if that is not enough, the minister himself has a close shave with death when he is carjacked, robbed, stripped almost naked and dumped on some roadside somewhere.

Dr Kituyi seems to be a very polished person and may not be the superstitious type. But even if this were true his handlers will be quick to point to his political enemy number one, and his party boss and cabinet colleague, Musikari Kombo as the possible source of his misfortunes. The two have been locked in a bitter battle for the leadership of the Ford Kenya party for a long time now.

If you think that Kenyan politicians who are well educated are not the superstitious-witchcraft-visiting type, then think again. The public usually has very short memories. In the 1994 Musikari Kombo himself was found guilty of election offences that involved witchcraft by the High court and lost his parliamentary seat. This man who almost became the Vice President of Kenya by default when his party chairman and the country's vice President Michael Kijana Wamalwa passed on in 2003, is said to have visited a witch doctor. In very graphic detail, the court was told of various rituals Mr Kombo got involved in, in his bid to land in parliament.





Hon Musikari Kombo lost a petition in 1994 and was barred from contesting the subsequent by-election. Witnesses testified about Mr Kombo's alleged intensive use of witchcraft during campaigns. Mr Kombo is currently the Minister for Local government.


But Mr Kombo is not the only person who believes in "remote control" (as it is referred to by younger generations of Kenyans) in order to win elections. The current parliament is filled with similarly-minded guys. The only thing they have going for them is that they never got caught like Mr Kombo did.

The plot thickens. Shortly before the death of a certain prominent Kenyan politician, there were strange rumors circulating all over Nairobi that another politician was using witchcraft in an attempt to kill off that politician. The motive? He simply wanted their job. Shortly after these rumors started doing the rounds, the poor targeted politician actually died in hospital from some undisclosed illness. This blogger was amazed when the president actually appointed that same "witchraft allegations" politician to the said post of his dead colleague.

But even before that, the said politician was caught on camera laughing loudly in a very jovial mood at his colleagues funeral even as all his other colleagues were in a sombre mood.

As a rule people involved in witchcraft will not talk about it, let alone in public. In Kenya this extends even to alleged victims of witchcraft. But one man talked, spilled the beans and caused quite a stir. Read his astonishing story in the next post.

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