Kenyans are a superstitious lot

By OYUNGA PALA

A kitten got its head stuck in a plastic water can for several days at the Coast, and no one would rescue it because, well, maybe it was not a cat.

In a small hamlet in Sabatia, Vihiga County, funny noises start to emanate from a massive boulder that had stood still overlooking the village since time immemorial. Days later, it tips over and rolls downhill to cause extensive damage. As observers far removed that reality, we chuckle at first, marveling at the hold of the superstitious beliefs and wonder why we never witness these strange episodes in our lives.

The traditional perspective is maligned, as superstitious belief tending to border on the preposterous while modernity is the realm of reason and tangible evidence. Mainstream press tends to relegate such incidences to the weird news from the counties segment as comic relief after the hard news and the presenters always have that sly smirk on their faces as if to say, “We are not making this up”. Yet, it is unreasonable to dispute another point of view just because you don’t see it. Some people see a desperate kitten with his head stuck in a can, while others see a malevolent creature hosted in cat. There is a history to why people are afraid of cats and you cannot dispute their experience.

Belief is a very personal thing.  Modern Kenyans are quickly dismissive of traditional worldviews, yet they still dress in black at funerals, in white during weddings and are afraid of the devil. Anyone who has seen the devil with his own eyes develops little faith in apparent reality. A good cat story has to be told in context. News producer should have some anthropologists in their ranks to decipher the roots and the cultural relevance of superstition and hopefully more innocent kittens from unnecessary harm.