Traditional rituals must be done before the self-confessed serial killer Masten Wanjala is laid to rest, an elder of the Bukusu community has said.
According to the elder, Wanjala, a self-confessed child killer who was lynched by members of public at Mukhweya village in Kabuchai constituency Bungoma county on October 15, 2021 after he escaped from from Jogoo Road Police Station in Nairobi, must be buried at night and by the river bank in line with Bukusu traditions.
If this does not happen, the family, clan and area residents risk being haunted by the spirit of the deceased, the elder have warned.
Speaking to the Daily Nation, clan elder Michael Misiko said that prior to the burial, an elderly man, locally referred to as ‘ Omukulo’ will have to cleanse members of Wanjala’s family, their homestead and the entire clan.
“The Omukulo will have to come to the homestead and perform the rituals while calling out Wanjala’s name and rebuking his spirit to depart from the area,” he explained.
“After the ‘Omukulo’ is done with the rituals, he will be given a black cow and leave hurriedly without looking behind,” he said.
Buried by the river bank
He warned that failure to perform the rituals would result into a calamity.
Mr Misiko claimed Wanjala had been cursed for shedding innocent blood.
He said that is the reason why such a person must be buried by the river bank so that his ‘evil’ spirit may be washed away to remove the curse.
Wanjala’s body is still laying at Bungoma Referral Hospital mortuary after his family members declined to collect it for burial.
His father, Robert Wanjala and members of Batukwika Bakitang’a clan, also snubbed the postmortem exercise which was conducted on October 20, 2021.
Self-confessed child killer
Homicide detectives are yet to share the results of the postmortem that was done on the remains of self-confessed child killer.
At the same time, area assistant chief, Abiud Musungu, has said the state might be forced to bury the body if the family fails to collect it.
Mr Musungu said there have been disagreements among Wanjala’s clan members on what course of action to take following his death.
The administrator said that while some clan members have been considering suing the state over Wanjala’s death, others have opposed the idea on the grounds that it would be a costly affair.
Mr Musungu also revealed that members of Wanjala’s Bakitwika Bakitanga clan in Kabuchai constituency are planning a meeting to deliberate on the way forward.
He said the meeting, which was initially planned for Thursday, has now been rescheduled to Saturday. BY DAILY NATION