Witchcraft in Africa

by Feòrag

allAfrica.com brings us a number of recent incidents concerning witch beliefs. In Namibia, thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the New Year's Eve murder of a man accused of witchcraft.

According to [Ohangwena Police Regional Commander Deputy Commissioner Tuveefeni] Mlukeni, the mob of villagers attacked Nghiimbwasha with sticks and killed him on the spot over accusations that he was practising witchcraft against other villagers.

This is not the first such incident in the area:

Last year, also in the Ohangwena Region, a mob of villagers attacked and killed their headman, Paulus Kahana, in a similar manner.

Kahana, who was headman of Omahayi village in Okongo Constituency, was also killed by villagers accusing him of practising witchcraft and linking him to the death of a resident.

In South Africa, Limpopo MEC for safety, security and liaison Dikeledi Magadzi has felt the need to point out that no-one is above the law and urged the police to deal severely with those resposible for attacks on people believed to be witches. His words were in respose to a recent incident where a mob set fire to the house of a man they believed was responsible for severe lightning that had affected their village.

In Zambia, a chief has been charged with murder over the death of a woman in 1998 whose 'private parts' were removed. Chief Nshimba, of Lake Mweru's Kilwa island in Luapula, has been implicated in a number of grisly ritual murders in the past. Villager Beaten to Death On New Year's Eve - The Namibian, 6th January 2003; No One is Above Law, Says Mec Magadzi - BuaNews, 31st December 2002; Cops Arrest Chief Nshimba of Luapula for Murder - The Post, 5th January 2003.