Witchcraft a Case Study of Kibabii Parish

Abstract

Witchcraft is a subject which has been discussed by many scholars.We have undertaken to investigate what it is, who practices it, and finally why bother about it?. This we have done by having a case study of ICibabii parish of Bungoma diocese. The people under study are Luhya tribe from western Kenya, both Christians and non Christians. In pastoral psychology we came to realize that witchcraft is one of the problems or issues that confront the pastor in his pastoral ministry. This is true also of pastors working in Bungoma diocese. We hence thought it is an important subject which needs a careful and a critical analysis in order to address it properly. Throughout this long essay/project, we have come to realize that not every Luhya is a witch and witchcraft affects Christians and non Christians alike, and so a cause for our concern. We have also come to realize that witchcraft cannot be eradicated by a pastor preaching against it, more is required in terms of catechizes and open dialogue between the Catholic Church and the local culture. It has become clear to us that riches or economy has its part to play in this phenomenon. This then reminds us that what we are dealing with here is more than we often read about witchcraft in books. Witchcraft is the power that counters the good in society, i.e, good life and prosperity, and as we have found out, it cannot be narrowed to a clear definition. The more we have tried to understand it, the more mysterious it has become. We have also found out that it is an eternal phenomenon always taking new forms as the society takes new forms of development.