The 1970s Kenyan Witches’ Oath and Anti-Witchcraft Campaigns

Record summary

Reports from western Kenya in the 1970s describe campaigns against witchcraft accusations, sometimes involving oaths, public declarations, cleansing, churches, chiefs, or local political mobilization. These are valuable for comparison because oath-taking could be framed simultaneously as religious reform, social discipline, evidence of innocence, or a new form of magical protection. The lead requires case-level identification: “Kenyan witchcraft campaigns” is not one event. Researchers should consult period newspapers, district files, and anthropological fieldwork for named communities and dates.