Over 85 elderly people in Kilifi County have been killed in a spark of one year over witchcraft allegations.
The killings were recorded in Bamba, Ganze, Magarini, Rabai and Kaloleni within the County.
In a research conducted by ‘Kenya Community Support Centre-KECOSCE’, a non- governmental Organization propagating for peace and coexistence at the Coast, between June last year and June, 2018, most of the elderly were killed by their kin.
KECOSCE’s Executive Director Phyllis Muema said that the unfortunate incidences were also propagated by youth yearning for pieces of land believed to be owned by their grandparents.
While revealing the disturbing data, Muema said that Kilifi County should invest more on peace and coexistence programs so as to quell the inhumane acts.
“We have conducted several peace forums in the interior areas of Kilifi County and the results are very disturbing, I urge Kilifi county government to take responsibility and curb the situation,” she said.
The peace Icon at the Coast said that more peace forums in rural areas of Kilifi county need to be enhanced so as to secure the elderly from brutality.
“At least ten elderly people, most of them men are killed monthly for allegations of practicing witchcraft, but the open fact on the ground is that youth want to own pieces of land and later sell them so that they can purchase boda bodas,” she revealed.
She said that the boda boda transport business has forced many youth some of school going age to indulge in the business.
“These elderly own land and since their grandchildren want to poses the title deeds they descend on them for allegations that they are practicing witchcraft,” added Muema.
She said that the same wave is witnessed in Kinango, Kwale County where at least two elderly people are executed weekly under unclear circumstances.
Muema appealed to Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya and his Kilifi counterpart Amason Jeffa Kingi to initiate immediate measures including setting peace and security departments so that they work closely with non-governmental Organization for an amicable solution to the security and social problem.
