In the small town of Soghor in Nyanza, Kenya, there exists a myth dating
back to colonial times. It relates to people, termed kachinja, who
were rumoured to prowl the area, arresting passers-by and tapping their
blood. Supposedly, Songhor survived this way throughout the colonial
period and into Kenya's independence.
Following emancipation, the White Highlands reverted to the indigenous
population, and a settlement for the Luo, Kalenjin and Kisii
communities. Folklore has it that people routinely dashed for the bushes
whenever they saw a red car approaching. Its white owner is said to have
used the car to transport captured Africans for slaughter. The man lived
near the Songhor Museum Site that was founded by two white men in 1932,
and gazetted in 1981. Two African families in nearby Tamu and Muhoroni
are rumoured to have been complicit, acting as 'catchers' of Africans.
At the white man's homestead, the main house had a bunker-like hole with
a small door, and a grilled opening. Keen observations lead to curious
revelations.
This is a fictionalized account based on a long-held myth. It is meant
for enjoyment.