Lately though such
have been witnessed elsewhere in the country where the unfortunate
couples are hauled into police trucks, wrapped in blankets and dumped in
hospitals to await their fate under bewildered doctors. In Kamba land,
there exists mbingo (meaning lock) where a suspicious husband can ‘lock’
his wife such that she will never enjoy sexual bliss outside her
marriage. Such mbingo is sometimes extended to homesteads where the
family head, with the help of a witch-doctor, installs it to cushion his
home from thieves and intruders.
But it is mbingo ya
mundu muka (putting a lock on a woman) that continues to cause
bewilderment among many people. Kamba traditionalists swear that this
‘lock’ helps to curb infidelity in couples and will catch the ‘thief’
pants down.
I sought to explore how this mbingo is installed, how it works and its effectiveness.
The results were dumbfounding and hilarious.
Mzee Mbuvi Musyimi,
83, from Mukuthu village in Mwingi Central District says there are
three types of mbingo that will prevent an amorous wife from straying.
According to Musyimi, only men can ‘lock’ their wives and not the other
way round.
This is because the
male species is wired for polygamy. Even the witch-doctors who fix this
mbingo are men, so they will never lock their fellow men,” Musyimi
says.
He says the first
scenario is where a man buys a string and takes it to a witch-doctor
where it is treated with muthea (magic portion). It is then handed over
to the client as the witch-doctor mumbles incantations. The husband is
advised to place the muthea laced cord at a strategic place in his
homestead, such as on the way to the toilet, kitchen or bedroom where
his wife will unknowingly jump over it.
“Use all your
tricks to have her jump over the specially prepared string. Once she
does, it is a deal. Take it and hide it at a place known only by you,”
says Musyimi, adding that with such a simple operation the wife is
permanently ‘under lock and key’. Musyimi notes that this is the worst
form of mbingo since a thieving man will get stuck on the woman, his
male organ swell and then die within hours.
Instead of killing
the ‘thief’, Musyimi says many people prefer a second type of mbingo
where you catch him in action and demand hefty compensation for
‘trespass’.
This is where a
witchdoctor advises you to buy a knife that has a pouch. The
witch-doctor will detach the knife from its pouch, treat it with muthea
then give it back to the man.
“You are required to while away time from home for seven days, during which time the muthea becomes effective,” he says.
Hate him
A third type of
mbingo involves inflicting temporary impotence on a stray man. Here a
suspicious husband gets a powerful dose of muthea from a witch-doctor.
One is then advised to discreetly apply this muthea on the private parts
of the wife or a girlfriend.
If
another man comes knocking, his male organ will just become flaccid,
lifeless and shrink. The woman will hate him for life,” says Musyimi,
before breaking into a prolonged naughty laughter as I join in.
