The art of African witchcraft or ‘juju’ is a phenomenon that’s quite difficult to explain as it divides opinions in a manner that is hard to comprehend by any average Joe. According to research, the practice exists in much of Sub-Saharan Africa and it has long been common for football teams to turn to witchcraft (juju), presumably to gain a competitive edge over their opponents.
In the same breath, the practice has held African football back, and until players or teams that engage in it, realized it doesn’t work, African football will struggle to catch up with the rest of the fast-moving world.
According to Robert Alai, the use of juju is very much part of Mashemeji game to an extent that human body parts are being used to cleanse the pitch before and during matches.
We must stop the use of human body parts by Gor Mahia and AFC football clubs to cleanse the field before and during matches. The level of witchcraft in local football is disgusting and not helping grow the game. It’s simply disgusting!!! #AwachoAyueyo
— Robert Alai (@RobertAlai) February 3, 2019
In a tweet, he claimed that human body parts were being used to cleanse the pitch before and during matches.
“We must stop the use of human body parts by Gor Mahia and AFC football clubs to cleanse the field before and during matches,” he tweeted ahead of Mashemeji derby last weekend.
Condemning the practice of human sacrifice, he added that nowhere it has been proven that it can influence the outcome of a game.
“The level of witchcraft in local football is disgusting and not helping grow the game. It’s simply disgusting!!! #AwachoAyueyo,” he added.
Omera Gor Mahia is a spirit . En juogi koro bed mos
— Nelson W. Osiemo (@atwenga) February 3, 2019
I guess such rituals if indeed exist are done in secret or in the dark. Is it wrong for us to assume you are the juju man?
— End2End Courier (@EndCourier) February 4, 2019
However, despite Alai’s claims there were no proven accounts of witchcraft reported before and during the Mashemeji derby where AFC football club lost 2 – 0 to their archrivals.
The tweet, elicited reactions from Kenyans and fans with some demanding for evidence while others condemning the alleged practice.
Does Mashemeji derby use witchcraft?