This archive report was first published on 22 October 2021.
On October 17, 2021, four elderly women from Bomokana village in Marani, Kisii County, were burnt to death over allegations that they were witches.
However, a consortium of 21 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) has revealed that land is at the centre of these killings, as villagers seek to eliminate the widows so that they can inherit their land.
According to Carole Agengo, Regional Representative Africa HelpAge International, witchcraft accusations and the resulting extreme violence meted out to women suspected of being witches are on the increase in Gusiiland, and other parts of the country, including Kilifi.
"One of the victims had buried her husband weeks before she met her brutal death at the hands of a blood-thirsty mob that labelled her a witch," Agengo said.
Janet Moraa Mironga, a daughter of one of the victims, narrated how her mother was killed, even as she denied claims of being a witch.
"After killing my mother, the goons removed all household items, doors and windows and burned them. When I went back to my husband, I was chased away over allegations that my mother was a witch. I have nowhere to go and nothing left as even my clothes were destroyed," said Moraa.
Human rights groups have called upon the National Police Service to undertake a thorough and speedy investigation into the killings.
They have also urged leaders from the Gusii community to openly condemn the killings and ensure the safety of older people in the region.
