Mganga Mwaijambia, a 70-year old man from Nyangala in Kasigau location, Voi sub-county, was reportedly hacked to death by a gang last week for allegedly practising witchcraft.

The Kenya Forum has reported with depressing regularity stories of mainly old women being ‘lynched’ (that is, murdered!) by mobs for supposedly being witches.

GRUESOME TRADE IN BODY PARTS

Their is also another gruesome aspect to the belief in witchcraft and its practices in Kenya – the trade in body parts.

Last October the body of Noah Kipchumba, a Standard Four student from Simbi in Nandi County, was found on his father’s small farm. His left hand had been cut off and his front teeth pulled out.

In February an 18-year-old Form Four Student from Tinderet was found dead, reportedly with his heart, tongue and genitals missing.

In March in Kisii County a human head and hand were found dumped in a bag on the roadside.

It is said that kidneys, hearts and genitalia are the most sought after body parts for use in rituals associated with witchcraft.

Albinos are particularly at risk of being murdered in East Africa, their body parts being prized in the body parts trade.

The last ‘witch’ to be executed in the USA was one Ann Glover from Boston in 1688,  330 years ago.

The last ‘witch’ executed in the UK was Janet Horne in 1727, 238 years ago.

The Kenya Forum has said it before and will say it again now. It’s 2018 for goodness sake! Witchcraft? Body parts? Heaven help us!