Leadership in Kilome – Spiritual(pt 2)
How did the Slave traders affect spiritual lives of Kilome people? How about ‘kamba’ root culture and early explorers and missionaries? With a little background knowledge of where the different communities originated from and what their spiritual backgrounds are, lets look at the present.
Arabs were predominantly muslim,and it didn’t quite catch on as a religeon though their are shared cultural spiritual practices that are not openly acknowledged but were and are dearly embraced – that of belief of access to spiritual powers by paying individuals to either protect their properties and/or increase wealth. Islamic temples are present in the highway towns of Sultan Hamud and Salama that run parallel to the railway lines which were initially used as trade roots.
Kamba traditional spiritual leadership led by elders faded slowly but surely, but the use of witchcraft/doctors thrives. Instead of elder led spiritual leadership people embraced Christianity and islam. It’s very common to hear a lot of individuals being called ‘wachungaji'(gaurdians). However what is their level and commitment to faith and God?
Christianity was well initiated amoung the communities with almost all townships covered by a major church. AIM became AIC African Inland Church, which is said to have birthed ABC African Brotherhood Church. Catholic and Jehovah’s Witness are present to a small extent and of late Deliverence churches have really mushroomed. The later because of laxity and complecancy by the established churches to play their initial role as the salt of the community and adapting to the day to day changes like technology. It is not uncommon to find churches strugging with musical instruments 30+years old yet they have funds to modernise. This too brings to light their leadership that have little faith in making the necessary changes and this too rubs down to lives of attendies who have no faith in making changes in their own lifestyles. As a son of a church elder told me- we believe in Christ but also believe we need extra powers from witch doctors.
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