Residents of Murang’a County, 87km north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi are left puzzled as posters multiply thick and fast announcing the contacts of witchdoctors offering their cure-all services to the public at competitive rates.
Such is the craze that witchdoctors, in their adverts, boast their ability to sort out every problem from divorce to relationship breakdowns, financial crises, alcohol abuse, infertility among other problems.
One can only wonder how many gullible Kenyans fall for their wily ways and get deceived.
Witchcraft is an illegal practice in Kenya, but the juju industry has thrived through the years across the country where supersittious beliefs still hold some sway in many communities.
In Murang’a town the contact numbers of witch doctors are placed on the posters urging curious clients to rush and patronize their services at competitive prices.
From the air, the town looks beautiful and peaceful, characterised by attractive buildings with the daily hustle and bustle by residents.
The main economic activity in Murang’a County is agriculture.
But on walking through the streets of Murang’a town, one spots unfamiliar posters that are all over the place and especially on electric poles, advertising witch doctor services to the chagrin of Christians who for some time have been complaining against the practice.
Most of those interviewed by the African Press Agency said that the posters have been mushrooming since the beginning of the year.
Edwin Karanja who has been operating a shop in the town for more than a decade is one of the angry residents who says that the proliferation of the posters in recent months, has seen mainly women flocking to witchdoctors with a view to enlisting their services.
“This is sheer madness! Women are their major clients as they seek to protect their men from having relationships outside wedlock,” he fumes.
“Our ancestors never tolerated witchcraft. If found guilty, you were banished from the community. Why should the current generation tolerate this,” he asks.
However, Ann Njeri who is a Muranga’a businesswoman, is of another opinion.
Men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction and failed businesses rush to seek the services of the witchdoctors.
She cites the rising cases of men committing suicide in Murang’a due to the frustration they face after the services they seek from the witchdoctors fail.
Ann Njambi who is a resident Murang’a town disclosed two years ago, she visited a witchdoctor after her husband left her because she could not bear any children.
She reveals that the witchdoctor she visited specialized in incantations, casting spells, performing divination and exorcisms.
“He was also capable of curing erectile dysfunction and barrenness and getting someone a job or a promotion,” she says.
Njambi still can’t conceive one year later after she got married again.
To confirm the allegations, the African Press Agency pretending to have a taxi business in Nairobi that is doing badly called witchdoctor Mzee Banda .
Mzee Banda asked this correspondent to visit him with 700($70) shillings for consultation and promised to change the fortunes of his once thriving taxi business.
However, after arriving at the agreed spot in town, his phone was off.
The church on the other hand has decided to pull down the posters that advertises witchcraft services.
Apostle Harrison Macharia who is a pastor in Gospel Embassy Ministries in Murang’a is calling on Christians to avoid turning to witchcraft as a remedy to any problem but to go to various churches to seek deliverance.
Jeremiah Kamau Mwirigi who is the town manager for Murang’a Municipality under the County government of Murang’a, points out that witchdoctors do not pay advertising fee to the municipality.
He says that the posters are mounted at night or at dawn when there is little activity in town by young men.
Residents who spoke to African Press Agency are now calling on the government to come up with ways of eliminating witchdoctors from Murang’a.
JK/as/APA