In Africa, when life is a gamble, you do not bet against the spirits — just in case
In a world of drones and Wi-Fi, Africans still jump over chickens and skin goats because when life’s a gamble, you don’t bet against the spirits—just in case.
Picture this: Wilson Watira, a hopeful Ugandan politician, sticks out his hand to greet a rival at a funeral in the eastern city of Mbale. The guy doesn’t just dodge the handshake—he grabs a church programme, folds it like it’s a magic wand, and waves it at Watira as if he’s warding off a zombie apocalypse.
No joke, this is politics in Uganda, where shaking hands might mean shaking your luck away. Behind the loud campaign rallies and vote-buying antics, there’s a secret game: Spiritual warfare, complete with witchdoctors, and some seriously eerie rituals, reported by the Associated Press in its July 16 story headlined, In African politics, the rampant belief in witchcraft fortifies some and vexes others.
