The Tsomnyazi Times: Debunking Judy Kosgei story 'Gray hair Curse'

Judy Kosgei's report on 'Gray hair Curse' is likely to create unnecessary fear, stereotype, and negative perception about Mijikenda youths and Mijikenda shrines which are now UNESCO World heritage sites. I am critically questioning Judy's premeditated notion that Kilifi youths are killers of gray haired elders, a notion that is prejudicial to the good young men and women in Kilifi.

I am examining her misinformation on purported shelters for suspected gray hairs in Kayas, a perception that mocks the traditions and cultural sites of Mijikendas. Let the world know the truth. The truth must be spoken.

1. Why were there no interviews done with the alleged young men and women of Kilifi who are said to be killing gray haired elderly members of Mijikendas?

2. Her story purports that gray hair is the mark of death; this is likely to create fear among our elderly members of the community. Why were some of her alleged victims e.g. Kasichana , had total black hairs?

3. She alleged that another reason of the killing is land inheritance. The culture of Mijikendas is clear that inheritance is only acquired after death of parents, why didn’t she provide a case example of an elder killed due to land inheritance?

4. Why didn’t Judy provide tangible evidence of a would be land inheritance case where the victim, fearing to be killed because of land ran away or reported to the police?

5. Kayas are traditional shrines of Mijikendas and have traditional huts inside the forests where traditional prayers and rituals are conducted. Why did Judy portray these traditional huts found inside all kaya forests as shelters of people running away from would be killers?

6. Judy seems to have accompanied kaya elders on their way to the traditional sites but in her presentation, she cheated the world by portraying that they were going to their refuge shelter. If indeed they were going to their shelter, why inside the shrines where only ordained kaya elder are allowed?

7. And why were her purported victims had traditional attires put on when kaya elders are visiting the shrines, why didn’t they have their usual clothes as when they are in the villages?

8. Kayas have been in existence for over 400 yrs, I asked Judy, since when were the shrines turned into rescue centers for elders running away from killers? Who runs these shelters inside kaya shrines, UNESCO World heritage sites?

It has been common trend that journalists undertake to present documentaries without doing adequate research to dig up the truths on issues affecting this nation and her people. While we condemn reckless killings of elderly in the pretext of practicing witchcraft, we similarly condemn the use of such problems to profile a community, more so its young generation as murderers of their treasure, the elders.

Each of the Mijikenda groups has a sacred forest called the Kaya: a place of prayer conducted by selected elders of the specific group. Kaya forests are a World Heritage sites.

The purported refuge forest presented by Judy is the kaya of Kaumas, where they do conduct their traditional prayers. The huts shown by Judy are not refuge shelters but traditional huts found inside all kayas. All kayas are in forests.

The Mijikenda Kaya Forests consist of 11 separate forest sites spread over some 200 km along the coast containing the remains of numerous fortified villages, known as kayas, of the Mijikenda people.

The kayas, created as of the 16th century but abandoned by the 1940s, are now regarded as the abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained as by councils of elders. The site is inscribed as bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link to a living tradition.

The council of elders in Kaya Kauma, are the people Judy stage managed as witches seeking refuge in the Kaya. They all had their traditional dress which they dress when visiting these sites. This was a total lie .

It is true that there have been killings of elderly people suspected of being witches, but not specifically on gray haired, as some suspected witches have black hair while others are as young as less than 40.

Ganze District cultural association under the leadership of Kenga Mangi established a rescue centre known as Kaya Godoma in Vitengeni Division.

Witchcraft is a deeply rooted tradition and culture among the Mijikenda people and is to be blamed for the under development of the region. Judy ought to have found out whether the allegations of witchcraft is true or not and the proof thereof. She didn’t.

Solution to the poverty, illiteracy, food insecurity and general underdevelopment of Kilifi County can’t be addressed without addressing the cultural quagmire of witchcraft. The existences of this trade is always cited as an excuse for youths not progressing in their lives and hence vent their anger in looking and killing purported witches.

A solution entails educating and enlightening the suspected elders practicing witchcraft to stop this negative culture. There are safe ways of addressing witchcraft allegations by equally subjecting the suspects to renowned witchdoctors who can neutralize the witchcraft and enable the said elderly accepted back to the village.

There are also churches which specialize in giving prayers to neutralize witches some of whom get saved and abandon the practice. These are also accepted back to the villages.

The idea of sheltering in kaya forest is untrue and a false creation of Judy Kosgei. However, sheltering them cannot solve the problems as they would remain suspected witches in the purported forests and an angry mob can pursue them there.

Judy’s report was a premeditated notion, well-choreographed to create sensational item in the media. It is wrong to portray Mijikenda youths as killers of gray haired people. It robs Mijikenda youths their selfhood, their dignity as good members of the society. Kilifi young men need an apology from Judy Kosgei.