Residents displaying witchcraft paraphenalia. Photo | File

Procedures that witch doctors employ in their magic have remained a puzzle for a very long time. One wonders whether their procedures are approved by any scientific theory.

Witch doctors have hit headlines on several media for their services to society in the recent past. Criminals such as thieves have been arrested or lynched as a result of revelations of witch doctors. We can’t dispute that, but it’s only better if we were able to tell between sincere and false witch doctors. 

Statistics reveal that women are more prone to witch doctors than men. The question we need to ask ourselves is: are witch doctors rich? A few individuals who had had firsthand experience with witch doctors confess that some seem to be more desperate than their clients.

Although in some places people value them so much especially where their services are used to make thieves eat grass and arrested. This alone is not reason enough for them to continue administering their services when there are better ways of solving the same problem.

Some people think of becoming witch doctors as a result of joblessness and practice it as a business hence soliciting money from innocent people who are burdened most likely by marital problems, loss of property among many domestic problems.

Traditionally, witch doctors were relevant in that context as they worked as laboratories and X-ray to interpret human life and give directions on how a person could be assisted as there were no hospitals and scientific apparatus for reading peoples illnesses and other social problems.

They were useful initially where they could interpret somebody’s life including spiritual talent and give directions on how a person could be assisted to nurture his talent. They would break bonds sealed by witches, kill dangerous reptiles used for bewitching people and burning materials kept by witches for creating trouble to people.

The current witch doctors have changed the tune and have turned the whole idea into business. It is even said that some witch doctors take advantage of suffering women who run unto them and harass them sexually in the name of assisting them come out of their problems.

Barasa Changa is an example of a false witch doctor of Siritanyi Village of Bungoma County who solicits money from people who come for assistance from him. He is said to posses some unique paraphernalia such as hyena skin, crocodile scales and gourds.

Mr. Changa seduces female clients who come to seek his services. Village dwellers of Siritanyi area have been complaining that this famous witch doctor has misled their wives. He also pretends to be a preacher who often prays and give false visions to his clients.

It’s a time people wake up and follow the right channels of solving problems in the community. The law is the best option where investigations about suspects are brought to book by the police and charged accordingly. 

Hospitals are currently well equipped with modern equipment and drugs for treatment of all illnesses. Religion is another option where a person can seek God’s intervention. No need to despair, the doors are always open as long as you knock at the right door.