Dr.Ayub Mukisa: Witchcraft in Uganda: Why Many Ugandans Deny It but Secretly Use It

This piece on witchcraft in Uganda is a continuation of an article I published in January 2025 titled “Can Witchcraft, Magic, and Mystical Powers be used as an Innovative approach to fight against corruption in Uganda?” In that article, I mentioned that witchcraft still holds significance in the minds of many people, especially when they seek solutions to challenging problems. People often resort to traditional explanations for misfortunes when modern technology, religion, and medicine fail to provide answers.

Given the current issues in Uganda, from corruption scandals to fatal accidents on roads, Ugandans have put forth hypotheses associated with witchcraft. This leads me to question: could some Ugandans be secretly utilizing Witchcraft, Magic, and Mystical Powers while publicly denying it?

Associate Professor Paul Isiko Alexander, in his research on witchcraft in Uganda, argues that witchcraft practices are ingrained in each society’s cultural phenomena, indicating that witchcraft exists in Ugandan society. Isiko further contends that witchcraft involves the use of mystical powers for malevolent purposes and is typically carried out in secrecy with the intent to cause harm, suffering, or even death to the victim ( Paul Isiko Alexander, 2019).

To support the argument in this article with empirical evidence, I refer to a 2026 publication by Emmanuel Mihiingo Kaija titled “Ritual Killings, Witchcraft Accusations, and Elite Corruption in Africa.” The publication suggests that in Africa, including Uganda, witchcraft has been weaponized to target specific individuals for political, economic, or social motives.

Therefore, I pose the question: could some of Uganda’s ongoing problems be linked to witchcraft, but people are hesitant to discuss it openly? This topic is controversial and has been challenging to address since colonial times. As Peter Pels notes in his analysis of Western perceptions of witchcraft, colonial European authorities initially dismissed the existence of witchcraft in Africa but later introduced ordinances to regulate it (Pels 1998). The fact that such ordinances were implemented to control witchcraft implies that people in societies practice witchcraft but are reluctant to openly acknowledge it.

Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com

The post Dr.Ayub Mukisa: Witchcraft in Uganda: Why Many Ugandans Deny It but Secretly Use It appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.