The mysterious tale of Kisauni cats 'sleeping with women'

Chilling stories of people who have had encounters with djinns and witches capable of transforming into cats, dogs, rats, hens, goats, among other domestic animals are common along the Coast.

The djinns are said to be able to transform into cats, rats and even ants and gain entry into people’s homes through crevices, and accomplish missions which range from impregnating women, raping men and stealing money.

Mzee Nassir Hussein, a village elder in Bakarani village of Kisauni, told The Nairobian the djinns, known as Mwanga (plural wanga) transform into small animals like rats, cats, dogs and ants to gain entry into a home and cause havoc.

He says when he was growing up, it was common to find witches who had transformed into cats hence the name ‘paka mwanga.’ Only three months ago, the 71-year-old man was sleeping in his room when he suddenly heard someone pulling his left leg (no pun intended). He woke up in time to struggle with the force which he describes as ‘gripping.’

He says it was a fierce manoeuvre as he struggled to disengage himself from the tenacious grip of a human hand. Although he eventually managed to disengage himself from the grip, his skin nearly peeled off from the struggle which, he says, lasted several minutes.

What is more, Hussein’s health started deteriorating after the strange attack, and was hospitalised at the Coast Province General Hospital (CPGH) for three weeks:“Doctors said the stroke was as a result of diabetes, but I knew deep within me that somebody, ‘a mwanga,’ was behind my deteriorating health,” he says.

Mzee Hussein, a staunch Muslim, says his faith in God could not allow him to visit a witchdoctor. He claims he has witnessed cases where women witches transform into men and have sex with married women to the point of impregnating some of their victims.

“There are also those who transform into men and have sex with men,” Mzee Hussein says.

(More on Kisauni cats next week)