The devil is in the details

By Stevens Muendo and

Matilda Nzioki

The news sent a cold chill down the spines of a couple of musicians, fashion models, socialites and other key players in showbiz circles who jammed Pulse phone lines seeking to know if they had been named.

Two days prior, Esther Arunga — the embattled former TV queen had spoken strongly —on a live TV interview about prominent people (including her former fiancÈ) being members of Freemasonry.

As a matter of fact, the line between occults, witchcraft, voodoo and black magic is quite thin.

Artistes who seek super natural powers through beliefs and practices associated to any of these always have the same goals in mind. Christians terms all these as Satanism, a twist teaching through which the false teachings are used to brainwash people with the lure of easy acquisition of material wealth. Hence, there is a deadly price to pay by the end of the day as it all ends in vanity.

Besides, artistes mostly from the Kenyan coast and Tanzania have accused each other over claims bordering on sorcery and witchcraft.

Last year’s incident in which Ugandan reggae musician Jose Chameleone sleepwalked and fell off from a third floor of Impala Hotel, Arusha was received with scepticism. He was in Tanzania for weekend concerts in Arusha and Tanga — a region famed for black magic experts.

Ironically, Chameleone could not explain how the accident occurred. The singer recalls that he entered his hotel room after his music show, changed clothes and slept. But he was shocked to find himself an hour later on the first floor, where the restaurant is located, surrounded by people screaming mwizi (thief).

Days later, a popular witchdoctor said the act was not normal. Many believed that the singer’s rivals had cast spell on him, as they were not happy with him making inroads in Tanzania.

Closer home flamboyant benga artiste Ken Wa Maria was involved in a road accident in the same period. Months later, he released a single through which he hit at his rivals alluding that they had planned his death by trying to bewitch him.

Grapevine has it that several artistes from the Coast Province, a region renowned for black magic, have been seeking the help of sorcerers in the region, so as to succeed in the entertainment industry.

One of Mombasa’s top events master is claimed to have risen to fame by use of black magic.

According to inside sources, a consulting client is usually handed a red ribbon during a visit. The ribbon is usually the connection to the power which guards the artistes from being harmed or even bewitched as well as keeping them on top of the game.

Fear

The new revelation is a twist on the tale as grapevine too, has it that one of the promoter’s competitors is also deeply involved in black magic.

Scary as it may sound, lives are said to have been lost through sacrifices in this tag of wars. Many musicians give up on their music career for fear of being eliminated.

In fact, the hullabaloo that is the wrangles among the coast musicians has a lot to do with black magic.

A Mombasa-based award-winning musician whose song scaled the heights of music charts is also rumoured to be deep in these appalling practices.

When he released his debut single it was a major flop .It rarely received any airplay months after its release. But surprisingly a year later, there was a turnaround and the song shot to the top of music charts, even getting nominated for several awards. Allegedly, the breakthrough came after the singer got consent from his current spiritual leader, the ‘wise man’ in question said to reside in Kwale.

His songs are even on international charts, all propelled by the said invisible dark forces.

The down-to-earth artiste, according to our source — who is a close friend — has been working closely with a Nairobi star whom he has introduced to his dubious and spooky ways.

Details with Pulse have it that such artistes operate with Mazanja. This is a codeword through which members of such beliefs get to identify each other. They operate with coded signs, some of which are embodied in their wear, especially their neck chains, earrings, belts and dressing. This trend is spreading like bush fire among emerging Mombasa musicians and only time will tell who remains supreme in the game.

But it is not all the artistes who are getting bought into the questionable "get rich quick" faiths. Some who have confessed knowledge of the new trend have distanced themselves from such operations.

"I don’t believe a human being can be more powerful than God," says songstress Nyota Ndogo.

"Personally, I have no knowledge of any musician who is involved with that, but if they are there, they must not last," she warns.

However, Nyota is on record having confessed that some strange people, purportedly being used by her enemies, were tracking her last year and even issued death threats if she failed to comply with their demands.

Two of her pursuers once confronted her, masked in black veils and gave her an ultimatum to respond to their demands in days.

Speculations were soon out that the said people were agents working closely with a woman purportedly operating as a witchdoctor. Nyota however never succumbed to the pressure and the story has since ‘died’.

"God is the source of my success and I can never turn to seek help from other powers no matter how desperate I get," she asserts

On her own admission, popular promoter ‘Beyonce’ (Julia Achieng’) says, as much as she does not believe in it, black magic does exist.

Seeking supreme power

She notes that the reason why one gets affected by such powers is because once they get involved, they are don’t seek God’s protection — adding that "watu huendea wengine" (people seek to bewitch others)

"I believe in God and I distance myself from those things," she says.

According to Pwani FM radio presenter and leading Mombasa DJ, Peter Adams, the practice is rampant in the region. He says artistes get involved in black magic in a bid to remain relevant in the music industry.

But he also notes that such powers are limited and by the end of the day, whomever tries such practices eventually goes down.

"Only talent can make you remain relevant in the industry, and those we have seen chasing super natural powers to excel fall from the game sooner than later," he points out.