THE STANDARD (Nairobi, Kenya) 17 October 10 Panic as the serpent of Ukunda dies (Job Mutungi)
Business boomed at a well known pub in Ukunda as revellers drunk to their last coin. They also consumed meat to the tune of ten goats and at least one and a half cows per day.
This was after the owner and his wife travelled to Tanga, Tanzania to boost their fortunes.
There, a famous medicineman known as ‘Kasarafu’ (small coin) is said to have given them some magic powder and a Jinni, in form of a six-metre long snake.
The serpent was put in a specially prepared cardboard box and the couple was given instructions on how to use both the powder and the snake to achieve their goal.
They were to mix a pinch of the powder in the water used for washing glasses, jars, cups, plates and other utensils in the bar.
Once customers used the utensils that had passed through the KBS (Kasarafu Bureau of Standards), they would leave all their money at the pub.
There was, however, one condition: The snake had to be replaced after 12 months of business.
The man’s wife had specific instructions to ensure it was properly fed on rats, guinea pigs, mice and other rodents. She started a guinea pig rearing project to feed the income-generating pet.
After ten months, the place became a beehive of activity. People trooped all the way from Mombasa and the surrounding areas, especially for their weekends. The man’s bank account improved by leaps and bounds. He bought his wife a new pick-up and a huge Toyota Prado for himself.
Then the unexpected happened and the serpent died. Its death was mysterious. Apparently, an evangelical church had run a two-day crusade at the town centre, entitled ‘End the serpent era — Revelation 12:9”.
At the end of the crusade, the lead preacher prayed and declared: “Let those who are harbouring or are being assisted by snakes, pythons, jinnis, cats, goats, magic powders, charms, rings, crystal balls, palmistry and other forms of sorcery abandon them today and turn to Jesus! Ukunda must remain a majinni-free zone. We declare the power of Jesus Christ in this town now. We paralyse all the powers of darkness now!”
The following morning, a new club worker was assigned the duty of washing his boss’s Prado outside the club. He had just started when he noticed a snake’s head raised a metre above the vehicle’s bonnet.
It swayed from side to side with its forked tongue protruding and its unblinking eyes fixed on him.
Fear gripped the young man who wailed, dropped the water hose he was using and ran for his life. The snake followed in hot pursuit. He went into the club hall and banged the door behind him.
The door squeezed the snake. Half of its body remained outside while the other writhed inside the dancing hall. Fright gripped two other young men who were washing the floor. They grabbed weapons and killed the snake.
Attracted by the commotion, the boss raced to his pet’s box. It was empty.
He could not hold back his anger when he saw what had happened. By now, a crowd of people had been attracted to the scene by the commotion. He fumed at his wife who was in the crowd: Betty, you have finished me financially. You have failed to take care of the snake. We are in deep trouble. What shall I tell Kasarafu?”
The number of perplexed onlookers continued to swell. And with the serpent owner spilling the beans, the story spread far and wide. The car washer was immediately sacked.
Several months after the serpent’s death, the man’s business empire has started to crumble.
Panic as the serpent of Ukunda dies