Sorcerer ‘rescues’ woman from demons’ coral cave

By Patrick Beja

No fatted calf was killed when a woman resurfaced at her home in Majaoni village, Mombasa after disappearing for 27 years.

Instead, when 80-year-old Mwaka Bembito-Mweru appeared two weeks ago, relatives were shocked and apprehensive because they had believed she was dead.

Mwaka Bembito-Mweru came back home after missing for 27 years. Photo: Omondi Onyango/Standard

Her appearance is believed to be the work of a well-known witchdoctor, Rashid Kazungu Kalama, grandson of the great Mzee Simba Wanje, after a request by one of Mwaka’s daughters.

And as people marvel at Bembito-Mweru’s miraculous appearance, Kalama is basking in glory too for snatching the woman from the den of demons, as villagers put it.

Incompetent witchdoctors

Before settling on Kalama, her daughter Nyamvula had unsuccessfully approached other witchdoctors in the area to help trace mother, who is said to have left the family homestead for the farm and disappeared all those years ago.

One sorcerer, Mameye Halima, took members of the family to Bonje Bridge in Kinango District and declared that their mother had drowned there.

After that everyone gave up hope of ever seeing her again and villagers even performed a traditional mock funeral.

Many thought that the matter had ended with the funeral. This was until last month when Kalama informed them that the woman was alive and was being tormented by demons in a coral cave somewhere.

"He said my mother had been driven to the sea by demons," Nyamvula recalls.

Though the woman would not say much, her daughters, Nyamvula and Mbodze, easily identified her by her face, height and ankles.

"The only difference is that she’s grey haired and her voice is weak. We attribute all this to old age," Mbodze, 51, said.

A visit to the home last week revealed plans for a traditional ceremony to welcome the woman back.

The elaborate ceremony would include the killing of a red he-goat to appease ancestors and chase away the demons that had driven Mwaka away.

"This goat will be slaughtered and its blood used to chase away evil spirits. The meat will be eaten in a ceremony to welcome Mwaka back to her home," Kalama said.

According to Kalama, Mwaka had been living with demons who fed her on raw fish. The evil spirits made her sleep under a bed and the reason she had a problem with her speech was because for the 27 years she was away, she never spoke to anyone.

Long journey home

Kalama explained that the demons drove the woman from her home so that the family could lead a miserable life.

"My magical powers rescued this woman from a coral cave far away in Kinango District and she travelled on foot without anybody seeing her until she arrived at her family home safely," Kalama said.

He could not disclose what charms he used to get Mwak back or when she began her long walk back home.

Kalama now expects the family to raise Sh100,000 to pay him for the woman’s return.

"I did a lot of work and now I am waiting for the family to pay. I know they do not have money but they pledged to pay once I have done the work," Kalama said.

When her mother disappeared from home, Mbodze’s firstborn son, Bemtsami Mwanzuga, now 28, was only a year old.

Her second born daughter, Njira Mwanzuga, 19, had not been born.