By Joseph Masha      

Kilifi, Kenya: Police and officers from the Provincial Administration in Kilifi County have revealed that at least 20 elderly persons in the county get killed in a month on claims that they are practising witchcraft.

The officers said the figure was alarming and feared that the population of the aged people ranging from 65 years and above could drastically go down.

Massive killing of the aged persons forced Ganze District Cultural Association under the leadership of Kenga Mangi to establish rescue centers known as KAYA GODOMA for suspected witches at Mrima Wa Ndege in Vitengeni division.

According to Mr Mangi who is the coordinator of the center currently there are 9 old persons five men and four women who had fled to the center after they were targeted for killing at their respective homes.

Ganze district OCPD Mr Jacob Kanake has for example admitted that about 6 elderly people get killed under unclear circumstances.

While addressing members of the public at Rima Rapera Health Center on Tuesday the police boss said his officers are occasionally called to collect bodies of elderly people after they get murdered.

“It’s surprising to note that in Ganze district alone we get about 6 elderly people being killed and if we inquire we get reports that the murdered people were suspects of witchcraft” said Mr Kanake.

Kanake said the notorious division where such killings take place was vitengeni and warned the planers and killers of the Kenyan old citizens that their days are numbered.

Speaking at the same meeting, Kilifi County deputy governor Mr Kenneth Kamto cautioned the Mijikendas to abandon cultures which had been over taken by time.

Kamto said low education standards, poverty and lack of job opportunities among the youth was the major contributing factor to the killing of the aged people and said the county government was looking for solution to the problems

“Sticking to traditional and cultures which have been overtaken by time was the major cause of the targeting and killing of the aged persons accused to be witches and wizards” said Kamto.

Kilifi county commissioner Mr Erastus Ekidor expressed the same concerns saying the killing of the elderly people was worrying in the county.