Is Jacob Juma burial ‘torch’ working on his killers?

Those who killed businessman Jacob Juma in May this year were meant to be driven mad, perish in unclear circumstances besides confessing what they did.

Perpetrators were also meant to die the way Juma perished — by the gun.

This was after Bukusu elders performed a burial ritual to catch the assassins. His forthcoming memorial, slotted for December 17, will draw attention to the potency of the ritual known as ‘Khusisia’.

“Even if it is a mighty man (who planned the assassination) his plane may just catch fire in the skies and burn to ashes,” Juma’s brother, Gerishon Wesonga, said at the time regarding the power of ‘Khusisia.’

‘Lukovo’ as Juma was fondly called by his 96-year- old mother, Irene Juma, was gunned down along Ngong Road.

No one has been arrested in connection with his death.

The ritual consisted of one of Juma’s brothers or uncles descending in Juma’s grave before his body was lowered and uttering binding words to ensure his killer’s didn’t rest easy.

Indeed, another of Juma’s brothers, Boyi Juma, descended in the grave to turn around his head since “We bury our own when the head is facing a specific direction,” said Bukusu elder Peter Nyongesa.

Eight months after burying Juma in Mungore village, Bumula constituency, three police officers were gunned down — Juma style — while a Douglas Nyakundi wrote a confession letter on how Juma’s death was plotted two weeks ago.

But Bukusu elders who performed the dreaded ritual did not want to say if the developments are related to ‘Khusisia’ and were unhappy with how the media and public took to talking about the rituals “carelessly.” 

 “Culturally, when our clansman dies and we get aggrieved because they did not depart through the natural way, we perform the Khusisia ritual and let the consequences take place while we mourn in grave silence. But the whole of Kenya talked a lot of things concerning the Khusisia. That alone was counterproductive,” said Richard Walukano 74, Bukusu council of elders’ chair.

He said that when people choose to speak about a ritual it “ceases to be a ritual and becomes something else”.

Prodded further whether the ritual worked he said, “We don’t speak about such. We do the ritual and keep quiet.” 

Eliud Lukhoba, the 68-year-old elder brother of Jacob Juma, said,  “We all know that he was fallen for his courage and we will be celebrating his life in a big way. We will slaughter bulls, chicken, ducks and cook a lot of ugali so that visitors from all walks of life can have a share.”