Young people in Kilifi organise to have their parents murdered so they can inherit their property, a youth representative has said.
This emerged on Friday as Mijikenda Kaya Elders petitioned the county assembly to make laws to stop the killing of elderly people.
They are worried that elderly residents are increasingly being killed on allegations that they practise witchcraft. The elders said grey hair is not a sign of witchcraft.
They also want their shrines (kayas) fenced and secured to prevent encroachment.
An 11-member delegation went to the assembly in Malindi to lodge their complaints with MCAs. They were picked from across the county.
Coordinator Tsuma Kombe led the team. The elders were dressed in their traditional regalia and used the local dialect. They held a meeting with assembly clerk Michael Ngalla for about one hour. The clerk promised to forward their proposals to the MCAs.
“I think the issue of elders being killed is sad. Bloodshed is a curse to the people,” Ngalla said.
“White hair is not a ticket for death. The desire for quick riches will not help.”
But Grace Lwambi, a youth representative from Kaya Rabai who was present, said the killings were a result of youths seeking to inherit their parents’ property. She blamed it on lack of jobs. The jobless youth label their parents as witchdoctors if they refuse to sell land to support them, she said.
The elders said the county assembly is partly to blame. Coordinator Kombe said the assembly has failed to come up with laws that would protect them. He said Magarini alone has lost about 300 elders. They were hacked to death over unfounded witchcraft claims.
As the meeting went on, they got information that another elderly man had been killed in Goshi on allegations of witchcraft.
Kombe said the old live in fear — their lives always under threat. He appealed to the assembly to take its work seriously.
“The majority of the MCAs don’t want to be engaged in the campaigns against the killings. They rarely attend community meetings,” he said.
prayer sites
The council warned that their shrines will be no more if nothing is done to protect them.
Kombe blamed the problem on charcoal burners who encroach forests to fell trees, exposing their holy grounds.
Willy Tsuma told the clerk to ensure they get title deeds for the parcels hosting their prayer sites so no one can invade.
Said Chitanda from Rabai said forest destruction was the biggest threat to mankind and called for strict laws to ensure the environment is conserved. He said the current generation lacks morals, hence the many ills in bedevilling society.
The elders also issued an annual calendar of events meant to promote culture and traditional practices.
Every January, they will hold an awareness campaign on the significance of elders. They want the old respected.
On February 28 every year, they will be the day of elders. It will be marked at Godoma, Mrima Wa Ndege, Ganze constituency. The venue has a centre that accommodates elders who have been rescued from mob justice.
The climax of the events will be the Chenda Chenda Festival that was first held on September 9 last year.
“We want the county government and the Kaya elders to come together and establish a project for the elders to enable them to generate income to promote cultural activities,” Tsuma said.
The clerk promised to support their initiatives, saying promoting culture is one way of attracting investment opportunities.