Elderly rescued from lynch mobs now face starvation

By JOSEPH MASHA

KILIFI, KENYA: At least 30 elderly men and women living at a rescue centre built for suspected witches and sorcerers in Kilifi County are facing starvation, the facility’s initiator has disclosed.

The men and women, who also faced lynching, have been living at Kaya Godoma rescue centre for three years. They were rescued from relatives and lynch mobs.

In the county, where traditional beliefs have led to superstition, elderly people with grey hair and bloodshot eyes are accused of practicing witchcraft and are often killed by relatives.

But security officials have traced the killings to family feuds over land inheritance whereby claims are invented against the elderly to incite their murder in order for land to be subdivided among beneficiaries.

Rarely are suspects arrested or convicted for these murders. Now the group at the rescue centre is facing starvation after running low on water and food. Mangi Mitsanze, who built the centre, said he could no longer afford to feed these people.

The co-ordinator asked well wishers and the Government for food and financial support and other donations that could help him maintain the elderly.

Poverty and ignorance

He made the remarks when he received the staff of Agricultural Finance Corporation Kilifi branch led by the regional boss Job Kimeu, who donated food at the centre.

“It was my initiative to rescue elderly people who are targeted on claims they are witches but it is now becoming too difficult for me to maintain them at the centre as they require food and other needs,” said Mr Mitsanze.

Mitsanze further said he is facing a new challenge ensuring the elderly people’s security, claiming there was an attempt to raid the centre and attack them.

“Recently I got information that some people had organised to raid the centre and kill the victims but they failed in their plans,” he said.

Mr Kimeu asked ethnic Mijikenda to abandon the killing of people accused of practicing witchcraft.

He said most of the witchcraft claims were motivated by poverty and ignorance.