KAROZA VILLAGE A LONG-TIME WITCH CRAFT AREA THAT TURNED RELIGIOUS HUB
Overview
Are you familiar with Karoza, where scammers who sell witchcraft services have defrauded several individuals of their money and property? Because of its history of witchcraft, this place in Mitooma District is still feared. The elder males of Karoza, who were members of the Abateizi Clan's Banyantsya sub-clan, asserted that they had the ability to govern life. Additionally, they said that they could use their gods to recover stolen property or cows, compelling the thief to confess in public and restore the stolen goods—often in exchange for payment. They also claimed that they could take anyone's life whenever they wanted.
Every time a family in Ankole or the neighboring villages experienced a calamity like robbery or murder, they would frequently come to Karoza to seek advice from the witchdoctors. A poll found that four major witchdoctors were revered and feared: Itareeba, Nyamukonjo, Muzigu, and Rwandani. Rich, deadly, and cunning, these guys had no fear of anybody, no matter how powerful or wealthy. In exchange for several cows and goats, they would frequently take advantage of chiefs and affluent people who were looking for their services.
Where is Karoza?
Karoza is a secluded settlement in the Mitooma District's Ruhinda. It shares borders with Nyaruzinga, Kihunga, Nyakishojwa, and Nkinga; to the east are Bukuba and Kahungye in Nyabubaare, Igara West, Bushenyi District; and to the west are the Rivers Ncwera and Nyerambire.
In Ankole, there were three dreaded gangs that were notorious for their witchcraft and crimes. The first group, Abajurunga, also called Abarogyera-busha, was based in Katongore and the neighboring districts of Ibanda and was said to be able to woo people out of pure envy. Known for their ruthlessness, the second group, the Abatema-nkoro, was said to have slashed individuals on the chest during arguments and abandoned them to perish. Their headquarters were at Rukokoma, which is close to Kyeikucu and on the fringes of Kagongo's Ibanda Parish.
This gang was suspected of being involved in the 1980s murders of Rev. Fr. Alexander You, a Catholic priest, and Magdalena, who was hung on a crucifix on Kagongo Hill. Karoza, also known as Abarwanisa-bikungu, was the third and most dreaded group; they were reputed to make anthills battle with one another.
Did Ant-Hills Engage in Combat?
Mzee Nzigani asserted that the alleged "fighting ant-hills" were actually big fig trees (Ficus natalensis, known locally as ebitooma) rather than ant-hills. Each witch doctor claimed to store their deities (emandwa) on a tree within their courtyard. The witchdoctors staged the alleged fights between these trees as a display of strength to draw in customers.
How These Methods Operated
The affluent and brotherly witchdoctors of Karoza were envious of one another, which resulted in internal strife. They turned to the deities and other supernatural rituals to keep their position as feared and to safeguard their family. For example, while a brother was sharpening a panga to clear a plot of land, he may deceive another by taking his shadow (kumwibaho ekinyimanyimi). When the thief returned and awakened the guy whose shadow had been taken, he would discover that his opponent had already cleared the area. The brothers' rivalry and enmity were stoked by these episodes.
Accounts of Local Witnesses
Although he never saw them, 100-year-old local peasant George Kabamwerere recalled hearing about Karoza's warring ant-hills. However, he did attest to the presence of the massive fig trees, which have since been felled. He also related the tale of Kezekia Bateyo, a new Muruka Chief, whose wife was said to have been blinded after gathering firewood from one of the trees. She allegedly burnt her infant alive because the encounter left her so confused.
Karoza B. LC I was known for its peculiar customs, according to 94-year-old inhabitant Albina Mukago. She asserted that people would believe in the witchdoctors' magical powers because they forced anthills to battle one another to demonstrate their might. She said that a person's family may face serious repercussions, including death, if they did not come out and admit to stealing right away. As punishment for the sins committed by their family, she claims that many women were enslaved and had their ears amputated. These ladies occasionally became the witchdoctors' wives.
Contemporary Karoza
In the past, it was normal in Karoza to command ant-hills to battle, according to Lawrence Karimbaare, a 66-year-old inhabitant of Kandago. Known for their powerful powers, the witchdoctors were able to track down stolen items and coerce the burglar into confessing. But gradually, the majority of the infamous witchdoctors became Christians, and the locations that were formerly connected to witchcraft are now places of worship.
Rwansibani's 72-year-old grandson, Deus Katebariirwe, attested that his grandpa was renowned for ordering anthills to engage in combat. He described how, until the practice was stopped, the witchdoctors would feed the fig trees with goats and cows.
The existence of the enormous fig trees was corroborated by Perez Mugure, a 60-year-old former chairman of Karoza A LC I, who did not see the warring ant-hills. He pointed out that the area was plagued by fear and death because to the powerful deities of the witchdoctors. However, Karoza is now a center of religion and has mostly abandoned its magical origins.
In conclusion, Karoza has evolved into a site of religious worship after being dreaded for its witchcraft customs. Now that the infamous witchdoctors have left, the region is recognized more for its churches than for its paranormal activity.