Will Africa see an end to witch-hunts?
In July 2020, a 90-year-old woman who was accused of being a witch was lynched in Kafaba in the Savannah Region of Ghana. Unfortunately, this is one of the many incidents of witch-hunts and persecution that have led to death on the continent.
Accusations of witchcraft have plagued communities in Africa, with victims often being the most vulnerable and marginalized members. The acts stemming from these accusations include discrimination, threats, mob justice, and even death. The targets are often elderly women, vulnerable in society, widows, those with disabilities, and persons with albinism. These individuals are blamed for 'crimes' such as causing sickness or failure.
Witch-hunts across the continent
In Malawi, over 70% of its 18.7 million people believe in witchcraft including the rich and well-educated, statistics indicate.
In Limpopo, a province in South Africa, there is an increase in the number of elderly people being killed because they are believed to be witches, Health E-News reports.
In 2015, international media Reuters reported that rebels in the Central African Republic had kidnapped, burnt, and buried alive "witches" in public ceremonies. These victims were tied to wooden stakes and lowered towards a fire.
Africa’s response
Recently, Ghana's parliament passed a bill to protect people accused of witchcraft, making it a crime to abuse them or send them away from communities, local media Joy News reported.
In Malawi, while the legal system does not officially recognize witchcraft, individuals convicted of practising it find themselves facing charges based on their confessions of involvement in using it to cause harm. Unfortunately, Malawi's courts have been relatively inactive in prosecuting human rights abuses linked to beliefs in witchcraft.
Despite South Africa having legal provisions concerning the act, nationals believed to be witches face discrimination, abuse, and even death.
The act of practising witchcraft in countries including Nigeria, Cameroon, Eswatini, Central African Republic is illegal and punishable by law.
The law in Nigeria however explicitly protects victims of witch hunts. It states that “Any person who by his statements or actions represents himself to be a witch or have the power of witchcraft or Any person who accuses or threatens to accuse any person of being a witch or with having the power of witchcraft, is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for two years.”
The African Union in March 2023, adopted new guidelines aimed at providing governments across the continent with strategies to tackle witchcraft accusations. These guidelines include criminalizing the act, outlawing the trafficking of body parts used in rituals, and implementing community education and awareness campaigns to address misguided beliefs concerning witchcraft.
Considering the alarming rate of witch hunts across the continent and Africa's response, concerns are raised, about whether Africa will ever see an end to the act.
