The Malindi District Cultural Association (MADCA) has been in the fight against the killings of the elderly for a decade now, having established two rescue centers in the county with a current population of 39 elders has not been able to contain the situation as more elders are endangered in their homes. There are those who are held in the rescue centers however many more are suffocating and waiting for their days as they are a target of their tormentors. The local leadership; politicians, religious leaders, county and national government, CSOs among others have not shown interest in the killings of the elderly, making this special segment of the society vulnerable. The fight against elderly killings has been seen to be the role of MADCA by all other institutions

According to Haki Yetu report “The Aged, on Edge” Data collected in 2023 indicate that
Kilifi County lost upto 138 lives to witchcraft related murders between 2020 and May
2022. This is according to data gathered from local chiefs and verified with police records.
The figures are however quite conservative. There are more deaths related to witchcraft
accusations that may not have been captured.
Mudzi Ni Muthumia (My Elder my Beacon) is a community sensitization campaign against
the elderly killing problem in Kilifi County. The strategic goal of the project was to make
Kilifi and Kenya a safe place for the elderly to live with respect and dignity. This would
be achieved
through calling for all key stakeholders to collaborate in the fight against the mass killings
of the elderly.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
There are a number of steps taken for the implementation of the project;
Courtesy calls to county and sub-county stakeholders and duty bearers.
Recording songs to help amplify the sensitization
Roadshows
Mijikenda festivals
Stakeholder’s engagement and community dialogue. Principle magistrate, department of social protection,
CSOs, survivors, Bodaboda sector and community members attended.
Outreach IEC materials (T-shirts and Stickers)
Celebrating the Elderly during the elder abuse awareness day.
Radio talk shows (4)
Community Sessions (7)
Local linking and learning

IMPACT AND TRANSFORMATION
Increased safety and security: By raising awareness and providing
support systems, elder abuse has been reduced, leading to a more
promising future safer environment for elders.
• Improved well-being: The reduced abuse of elders has led to better
mental and physical health for elders.
• Stronger families and communities: Addressing elder abuse has
strengthen family bonds and foster a more caring and supportive
community environment
Collaborative efforts from the duty bearers and stakeholders and other
CSOs to fight the elderly killing problem.

LESSONS LEARNED
There is falsification of data and wilful perversion of facts from the security organs
on the elderly killing reported cases.
The perpetrators of elderly killings are mostly the family members.
Some administrative officers are beneficiaries of the killings and so protect the
perpetrators
There is betrayal of whistle-blowers by some security personnel and that
discourages witnesses from giving evidence
There is also lack of political will to address this problem
Flexibility: Internally, we learnt to be more flexible and adapt to new ways of
working during the project implementation.

INSPIRING YOUR READERS
MALINDI DEPUTY COUNTY COMMISIONOR DURING
ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY WARNED CHIEVES AND
POLICE OVER INCREASING CASES OF ELDERLY
KILLINGS ON THEIR AREAS OF JURISDRICTIONS. HE
SAID THAT THEY SHOULD BE CAREFUL OR ELSE
ACTION IS TAKEN AGAINST THEM

CONCLUSION
Despite the work done, there are still gaps that needs to be
filled. The campaign has not reached all corners of the county
due to limited resources. We dream of a more informed and
incorporated society in the fight against the extrajudicial
killings of the elderly people, seeking justice to victims and
reintegrating the survivor back to their families. We require
more funding to achieve this goal.