At a time when every entrepreneur wants to direct positive energy in their businesses others remain a motherboard of witchcraft so they can determine their fortunes.
Asian shops line up Nairobi’s Biashara Street. All of them are seemingly doing well. But looking keenly, they foster a spell-oriented culture.
A “nicely” smelling “woody” is vehemently lit to scare away bad omen. The smoke that comes out of it is fragranced so that as a customer you feel welcome. That is partly how the shop owners keep off bad luck.
The purported use of charms in business is not a thing of the yore. Usual options include letting a cat jump over cash, spitting on money as a way of blessing it, or reciting prayers over money at home before passing it to the intended person. Digging further, sample a place where there are as many rice sellers as there are beans traders. Ever seen the 1kg tin used to weigh them placed bottom up?
A story is told of Feng Shui, fish in a tank believed to bring good tidings to a business. Although an aesthetic, people invest in aquariums so that good things may come their way. The incisive luck behind these practices is only instigated in the mind of those who believe that by doing so good things may come their way. As always, the buyers don’t care, or, they are simply green about charms.
They say what makes witchcraft in business is not the putting of cash on the counter for a customer to pick by either himself or herself. It is the execution about the idea, how spontaneous it is done. You must have a keen eye to see it happening… your change is not put straight on your hands. It is actually dropped.
To do this is stooping a bit lower, says Caroline Kabuchi, a shopper. “Why should a shopkeeper drop money on the counter for me to pick just in trying to avoid bad omen if there is ever anything like that?” she quips.
Use of charms is far too common these days, and often, most shopkeepers, open-air market traders and even some corporate employers have managed to secure a PhD in the science of “witchcraft”. Such practices play big, and it has gone on for thousands of years. This may seem a very unattractive value proposition for any business that is practising it, a kin to working naked but it cuts across and is consistent with the mama mbogas, the guys who roast maize, and mostly the ordinary shopkeepers … and one wonders whether they see and reap the benefits directly or not.
Employers are known to impact life. But this is not the case as told by Kenyans in some quarters. At a new month, Justina Njarara is among the very few who talks about getting paid in cash. The young accountant is among the majority of employees who are into the idea of getting their salaries paid through bank or mobile transfer like M-pesa. In December their payments were delayed. She was shocked to learn that money was withdrawn from the bank and kept at home when the company would have just done a direct transfer to their accounts.
She imagines her new goals stagnating as a result of how her salary is paid. When paid in cash the money burns up quickly. She cannot qualify for a bank loan. It has meant that she become relentless as she looks a head to get the best from her salary income. It kills morale and deflates, she says, that you must become focused and consistent.
In all honesty, says Njarara, talking about employers who do this, their expectations are unquestionably hinged on leaving you stagnant, and unless you are just after making some pocket money and not planning to buy assets like land, you do not want to work for them forever. They just want to leave you emasculated. “When things go south, mostly I think it is because of such practices.”
“Ours, when you are being given ten thousand for example, one thousand is usually loose. And are arranged in the opposite direction. So you get nine thousand notes, the other one thousand is broken into figures of five hundred, the rest in one hundred notes, two hundred notes that way…” she says while on the other hand agreeing that it is wise to reflect and evaluate your progress when in employment so that you do not put blames on your employer for using spells to make your life miserable.
With the many inherent challenges from the side of both business owners and workers, there’s still growth. Asians and Warias are good at their businesses. Muzungus also. Even the Kamba’s, Maasai’s, Kikuyu’s, Kisii’s… It is actually a race against innovation and service delivery that attract customers.
Overcoming the obstacles between witchcraft and business can quite simply mean a lot of work. This is the time you have to think on your feet. For Justina, it is better to practice that which brings returns and food on the table. She says that the money that has been subjected to such rituals is best expended quickly. In addition, as long as you are capable of buying what you want immediately you get the cash the better for you. “The best part is no situation is permanent,” she says.
“I’m sure you have seen gold like dolls in some reception areas. Those are budhas. At my work place a budha (of a bald-headed old man carrying money bag on the back) is put in a dish that contains water. When you remove it from the water you’ll notice a ten-shilling coin under the water. I don’t know why that is done. Maybe that budha can boost their wealth and luck,” she says.
