The Power of Witchcraft among the Kenyan Akamba.

Abstract

This thesis looks at the power of witchcraft among the Kenyan Akamba. I have taken time to explain the Akamba worldview as the basis upon which the thinking of the Akamba is drawn. Much space is given to this aspect in the paper due to the nature of the subject itself. The literature review undertook to bring together those who have gone before into the Akamba worldview. Such names as Lindblom, Jacobs, and Gehman have prominently featured. In order to establish a background to the subject, interviews were conducted. These included practicing witchdoctors and those who have observed witchcraft in their environment. Because the concern in this thesis is to look at the Kenyan setting, and how the Church is affected by witchcraft, the Africa Inland Church served as a case study. Three Churches were key in the research: The Africa Inland Church, Plainsview in Nairobi city, the Africa Inland Church, Kibera near the Kibera slums, and the Africa Inland Church, Misewani in Mwala division of Wamunyu in Machakos District. Areas mined include consultation with witchcraft, medicine man, herbalist, palm reading, star reading, and other related areas. I discovered that there were still a small, but significant minority of churched people who are sympathetic, and some who consult in these areas, therefore sharing their energy and resources with the world, and not fully committed to the Church. This raises the need for the leadership of the church to strengthen teaching and discipleship.