Photo Credit: Abhishek Mittal
A woman on X has caused quite a stir after sharing a traditional Bukusu ritual that supposedly brings children back to their fathers if a mother runs away with them.
According to her post, the ritual starts by writing the children’s names on pieces of paper, collecting some soil from where they live, and getting a cloth for each child.
All this goes into a small pot, and then an elder—usually a grandma, aunt, or uncle—chants while spitting on the items and calling the kids by name.
She said the ritual is done every day at 5am. “Wherever the kids are, they will wake up at that time. If they can talk, they demand their father; if they’re still small, they scream and go into a frenzy,” she wrote.
She added that the ritual only works if the father wants it to, saying, “The kids will come back unless the man doesn’t want them to.”
The woman also warned that trying to run off with the children can be extremely stressful and mentally exhausting.
Experts, however, stress that cultural practices shouldn’t replace legal measures. Kenya’s Children Act (2001) provides clear rules on custody and child welfare, which courts enforce to protect both kids and parents.
The post has sparked debate online, with some people amazed at the supposed power of the ritual, while others argue it’s coercive and could harm children psychologically.