- His mobile phone was found in his hand, and in his pockets were some Sh600 and a notebook in which there was a letter he had written and addressed to one of the children.
- “In the letter, he had highlighted that there are some of his family members who were hell-bent on eliminating him,” said Hassan on Wednesday.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
On Valentine’s Day, Mohamed Nyamawi Rumba, 62, tired from a day’s work, passed through the Mwananyamala market in Dzombo ward, Lunga Lunga constituency in Kwale county.
After doing some shopping, maybe to celebrate the day with his love, he set on the relatively short journey back home on foot, going through the normal shortcuts he had known for decades.
It was around 8 pm and unusually dark.
Little did he know what he had been dreading for the better part of the last year would come to pass on that fateful day.
Some young men had positioned themselves strategically along the route they were almost certain he would use, ready to waylay him.
Some few hundred meters from his house, Nyamawi was struck at the back of his head by some blunt object.
It was a fatal strike.
Minutes later, his body was discovered lying in a pool of his own thick blood, facing down, by a villager, who was also walking home.
Nyamawi’s nephew Nyae Hassan Mwajoto, who is also the village elders’ chairman, told the Star the attackers did not steal anything from their victim.
His mobile phone was found in his hand, and in his pockets were some Sh600 and a notebook in which there was a letter he had written and addressed to one of the children.
“In the letter, he had highlighted that there are some of his family members who were hell-bent on eliminating him,” said Hassan on Wednesday.
The Star saw the letter alleged to have been written by Nyamawi and dated July 30, 2022.
In the letter, he had said that he knew he would be killed by the panga, poison, strangulation or torture.
He alleged that some of his family members believe things alleged by their in-laws more than their own blood relatives.
“He had been at loggerheads with one of his sons. The dispute was to do with allegations of witchcraft and other small family issues,” said Hassan.
In 2016, Nyamawi reported the witchcraft allegations against him at the Mamba police station under OB 7/2/6/2016.
However, no action was taken.
Haki Yetu Organization programs officer Julius Wanyama said this is one of two similar incidences they have received this February alone.
On February 7, Lugogo Dziwe Njole was also slashed to death by unknown people in the Mrima area of Dzombo.
He died on his way to the hospital.
The matter was also reported at the Mamba police station by village elder Mangale Nyamawi.
The human rights defender said security agencies need to show more professionalism and seriousness when dealing with such cases, even if they involve domestic issues.
“The victim first reported the matter in 2016. Nothing was done and that is why he resorted to writing the letter that somehow he did not manage to deliver to the intended person,” said Wanyama.
He noted that the killing of elderly people on allegations of witchcraft in the Coast region, especially in Kilifi and Kwale counties needs a collective approach.
“No one institution can be able to resolve the issues we saw in Dzombo. The security agencies, civil society, politicians, and the community cannot work in isolation to resolve them,” said Wanyama.
He however said the security agencies have the highest responsibility because they have professionalism.
Failure to handle such incidences in a satisfactory manner leads to families trying to resolve the issues using their own means, which might at times involve revenge missions.
“Sometimes the police tell those who report such matters to go and discuss as a family then report to them their resolutions. This is what encourages such killings,” said Wanyama.
The Haki Yetu officer said politicians carry some share of the blame arguing that these things happen under their noises but they do not speak out against them for fear of losing votes.
“You can’t tell me two people are killed in the same manner over the same allegations within a span of one week and not even the MCA talks about it or addresses it,” said Wanyama.
Lunga Lunga deputy county commissioner Joseph Sawe said it is unfortunate for people to take the law into their own hands.
He said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is investigating the case and anybody found culpable will face the law.
So far, no one has been arrested, according to the village elders’ chairman Hassan.
“Whenever there is a misunderstanding, there are ways to take those problems to some place and be helped. And even if you don’t get help where you go, there is always another place you can go."
“There are so many people in government who can listen to you,” said Sawe, who is the sub-county security council chair.
Such killings on allegations of witchcraft have been rampant in Kilifi county, but the DCC raised concern that the incidents now happen in Kwale county.
“Such cases where children rise up against their fathers and the elderly, branding them witches, which is usually not true, have not been common on this side,” said Sawe.
He said it cannot be true that someone only turns out to be a witch when they become elderly.
He labelled it a misconception that young people usually use whenever their fathers become a stumbling block in their quest to inherit the land.
“How is it that the elderly only turn to be witches when you want their land and they have said no? Because it is only the parent who can stand in the way of you inheriting his land,” said Sawe.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO