- The residents want police to intervene and arrest people who practice witchcraft.
- Matuga police boss Francis Nguli warns that anyone found engaging in witchcraft will be charged.
Kinarini residents in Matuga constituency, Kwale county, are blaming witchcraft for collapsing businesses.
They say sorcerers have intensified their work in the area and ruined the local economy.
Kinarini businessman Dominic Tsanga said innocent lives had suffered from witchcraft.
“The use of dark forces has intensified in this area because young generations inherit it from their parents and they are destroying the lives of youth who try to survive through small investments,” he said.
Tsanga said his business collapsed in unclear circumstances.
He said once certain customers visit a workplace the business dies within a week.
“There are people who when they buy things from you, all the money in your pocket disappears or you might record a huge loss that day and it continues like that until you become unstable,” he said.
The residents said some people use magic to siphon money from others, in what is termed “kutsorera” in Mijikenda language.
They said “kutsorera” happens in several ways. When one mixes the bewitched money with other money all the cash flows to the next person mysteriously.
Umazi Mnyika said her vegetable business died after spotting human waste which was arranged in a particular pattern outside her doorstep.
She said since that day none of her income activities has survived.
Aisha Kumbayugu said three-quarters of her money disappears after having a productive day.
Kambuyugu said she might have a profit of not less Sh500 a day and end up with only Sh200, the rest vanishes.
Apart from loss of money, the residents said witchcraft afflicts young people so that they continue living miserable lives.
Zeitun Kea said she loses her underwear often, something that shocks her.
She said after washing and hanging them on a rope to dry inside her room, she doesn't find some of them in the morning.
The residents now want police to intervene and arrest people who practice witchcraft.
Matuga police boss Francis Nguli warned that anyone who will be found with enough evidence of witchcraft materials will be charged.
He, however, cautioned residents to let police officers do the investigations.
Edited by Henry Makori