- George Wajackoyah has called for night running to be developed and funded as a cultural sport that could attract tourists and foreign exchange.
- Homa Bay educationists have proposed including night running in the school curriculum if the practice can be safely regulated.
- Cultural commentators and a stalled Kisii task force have highlighted how witchcraft accusations tied to night running have fueled deadly attacks on the elderly.
Self-styled scholar and lawyer George Wajackoyah is calling for night running to be developed and funded as a legitimate sporting and tourism product, arguing that the practice represents a unique African talent capable of drawing visitors and earning the country foreign exchange.
Wajackoyah said he held a meeting with the chairman of night runners in Homa Bay County to discuss the future of the practice. “If a person can run in the dark without being hurt, then that is a talent that should be packaged to attract tourists to the country to earn more foreign money,” he said.
Following the meeting, educationists from Homa Bay County led by Dr Peter Okumu asked Wajackoyah to encourage the chairman to come out in the open and outline how the practice could be supported and improved as a sports activity. The educationists said night running could also be included in the school curriculum so that learners can be trained professionally and safely.
Wajackoyah maintains that with proper support, night running can move from belief and secrecy to a formal sport that celebrates African identity while creating jobs and income for communities.
The push comes against the backdrop of a long and troubling history linking night running and witchcraft accusations to violence against elderly community members in parts of Nyanza and western Kenya. In October 2021, four elderly women; Sindege Mayaka, Rael Sigara, Agnes Moraa and Jemimah Nyang’ate, were killed in broad daylight in Nyagonyi village, Marani Sub-County, after being falsely accused of witchcraft.
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Following the killings, then Kisii County Governor James Ongwae appointed a 14-member task force through the County Department of Culture to investigate the prevalence of witchcraft accusations and their links to extrajudicial killings. Ongwae said witchcraft accusations were often used as a scapegoat to victimise members of the community, particularly the elderly and widows, including through attempts to disinherit them of land and property.
The task force was directed to examine the targeting of the elderly, the security dimensions of such accusations and the socioeconomic factors driving youth involvement in the killings, and was expected to report back to the governor’s office within three weeks. Its findings have not been made public to date, and the delay has raised questions about transparency and accountability in addressing the killings.
The origin of night running remains widely debated. In parts of Nyanza and Western Kenya, some communities have long associated the practice with folklore, spiritual beliefs and cultural rites, viewing it as a traditional practice passed down through generations and, for some, a test of endurance and courage.
Kisii-based cultural commentators Obino Nyambane and Ondieki Moting’u dispute that characterisation, arguing that night running is not an actual practice but a superstition-driven belief that has taken root in communities. Moting’u said that while genuine Kisii cultural heritage exists, communities should separate it from fear-based beliefs and instead focus on promoting documented traditions.
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No country has officially recognised night running as a competitive sport or cultural practice. Countries that promote night-time athletics do so through organised events such as night marathons, ultramarathons and trail runs, held with lighting, security, medical teams and permits from sports authorities.
Sports stakeholders in Kenya say that for night running to gain recognition, it would need to be structured, regulated and clearly separated from harmful beliefs. They argue that packaging it as a tourism and sports product would require training, safety standards and government support, similar to athletics, boxing and other disciplines already funded by the state.
By Enock Okong’o
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