Kenya Working Group and Conference on Witchcraft Accusations 2016
Summary Report
‘On those living in the land of the shadow of
death a light has dawned.’ (Matt 4:16)
Susie and I ended our week at the Africa Nazarene
University in Kenya feeling encouraged and
determined to continue to do all we can to bring the
issue of witchcraft accusations against children into
the light and hold it there!
We spent two intense days in a working group of
sixteen theologians, church stream leaders and
practitioners. All of us are committed to pooling our experience and expertise to push forward
research into the issue of witchcraft accusations, and to tie that research to grass roots action, for
the sake of the children and others who are suffering terribly as a consequence of those accusations.
As ever, our focus was on practical outcomes. The first of these was the identification of essential
research topics such as:
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the influence of ‘Nollywood’ (Nigerian and Ghanaian) films on the spread of accusations
against children to new areas, including Tanzania
the factors that push children into ‘confessing’ and
the issue of the mis-translation of key biblical texts into local languages.
There are plans to roll out more research among pastors like that carried out with EPED’s help in
Kinshasa, in other nations, including Togo. We will be pulling together a ‘Tool Kit’ of resources which
are tried and tested at grass roots level and proving effective in changing attitudes and practices.
And there will be a further conference in Ghana in 2019; intended as an opportunity to discuss
progress and showcase the practical actions taken between now and then. An Africa-led network
called ‘Light’ is being set up to facilitate ongoing communication and cooperation between the
participants, united by a common desire to see an end to witchcraft accusations and the abuse and
violence that follow from them. Please keep praying that all this may come to fruition!
There were also two day-long conferences, each attended by over 220 people. The first was entirely
on the theme of witchcraft accusations and was addressed by Pastor Ngolo of EPED, among other
distinguished theologians and church leaders. The second had a broader theme but placed
witchcraft accusations as a mainstream topic. How
encouraging to see so many African people willing to
explore a topic that has for so long been taboo!
Thank you for your on-going prayers. As one Nigerian
church leader, Professor Sam Kunhiyop, said: ‘We
stand indicted. It is time for change.’ Amen!