Norman Katende
27 November 2011
WHEN Commonwealth Games double gold medalist Moses Kipsiro withdrew from the World Championships last year on grounds that someone was bewitching him, it came to pass as a simple story.
However, a trip to the highlands of Eastern Uganda proved to this reporter that the problem is real and not just against Kipsiro, but to several athletes, who have been forced to flee to Kapchorwa.
Where Kipsiro’s woes started
Kipsiro’s woes of witchcraft started when he disagreed with Bukwo district authorities over the sh100m President Yoweri Museveni offered him to celebrate his double gold achievement.
The athelete suggested that parties be held at Bukwo (sh50m), Kapchorwa (sh25m) and Kween (sh25m) as a community celebration.
But to his dissapointment, when the money was wired on the Bukwo account, it was instead diverted to one party. Kipsiro did not hide his anger.
He accused the officials of corruption and during the LC 5 elections last year supported current chairman Wilson Solimo against the incumbent Paul Chelimo.
Relationships go sour
It is from here that a section of people at the new district promised to deal with him. Coicidentally around the same time Kipsiro suffered from a bout of typhoid, which took about a month to heal. His immediate suspicions were that he had been bewitched.
He reported his case to Bukwo Police, and after investigations, it was referred to the Resident Attorney of the region David Nabendhe for action.
“I looked through the file but most of the allegations were based on hearsay. There is no way we could open up a case so I returned the file to Bukwo,” said Nabendhe.
Athletes scared
Kipsiro, who is in the process of shifting to Kapchorwa, where he is constructing a residential house, says that the situation is too hard.
“Those people cannot be trusted. They will follow you up,” he said.
Jacob Araptany, an upcoming sensation, and Patrick Chebotwo also confirm the same. To them witchcraft exists and the target are the athletes who they believe earn a lot.
“To them, whenever you come to Kampala or represent the country you are earning money and they want you to use it on their projects. They call you Mzee (elder) but the problem is when you give them once, they will always come back. It never stops and when you don’t, they become jealous and start using Juju on you,” said Araptany.
The statements are confirmed by most of the athletes, especially those that happen to get places on the national team.
Training is a nightmare
The talk is that there are some people famously known to be witch doctors. It is not surprising that when people see them they just have to change their route in fear that they will be bewitched.
“They are there and the community knows them. They say that they end up taking the soil where you step and go and mix it with fetishes that will bring you bad luck,” says Lawrence Mangusho, the Editor of Sabiny Today, a local newspaper of the region.
Not even the athletes are spared as they usually end their training sessions prematurely on seeing them as they have to run for their life. This has forced many to travel to Western Kenya camps to train, but those without money have to endure all the shortcomings and train.
Police dismisses claims
But the District Police officer of Kapchorwa Patrick Biingi dismisses the claims.
“There is no witchcraft. It is just psychological and it is so because the place is remote and they are lagging behind in development,” said Biingi.
He says that for the last two years, they have received two incidents were people have been killed for allegedly being witches. “These are women in their 80’s.”
An unfortunate incident was when the mob found a man walking with his wife taking vegetables. They told him that the woman was a witch. They took her and dropped her off a cliff in the mountainous terrain to her death.
The other incident was when a man was called to treat a sick person. However the person he was treating died and the mob turned to him and beat him up.
“What these athletes need are good coaches who will train them both psychologically and physically. That thing (witchcraft) does not exist. It is just that the society is closed and people are not educated. Such things are bound to happen,” Biingi added.
Many cases in court
Though some sections of the witchcraft Act were repealed, it has not been updated, making prosecution difficult.
Nabendhe says that they receive an average of three cases per week relating to witchcraft but there is no confirmation that those accused practice witchcraft.
But does it exist?
According to Badru Sabira, an elder in the region and a board member of National Council of Sports (NCS), it is basically psychological and it does not exist.
“It is commonly used in polygamous families where jealousy exists. People start threatening you and if you give in to the threats, then you will claim that it exists,” says Sabira, whose mother survived death when a mob tried to attack her claiming that she was a witch.
But Mangusho says that there are incidents where women buy charms and return to their homes and claim they found a dead Indian body or an animal in their beds.
“I think people are over watching Nigerian movies. Those things are only seen by the husband and the woman and none of the public. There is also a 13-year old girl Aida, who is fire possessed. Whenever She stays in a home for three months, the house catches fire,” says Mangusho.
Victim speaks out
But in most cases the people are just looking for an opportunity to grab people’s land by dubbing them as witches like it was the case for George Cherop, who had his house burnt and was forced to migrate with his family of 19 from Kirwoko to Kapchorwa.
He was accused of bewitching the school to become Hysteric.
“But I had no interest in the school and there is no linkage. It is just that some people were envious that my textile business was growing yet I do not originate from the area,” he said.
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Uganda: Athletes Flee Bukwo Over Witchcraft