A 63-year-old man last weekend committed suicide in a manner that left villagers puzzled.
According to witnesses, Mwokoli Kahindi Baya, a palm wine tapper from Mkongani sub-location, first dug a grave outside his homestead and spent his last day drinking and talking about his death while bidding friends goodbye.
“He dug a grave in a place he had identified outside his compound. He also tore up all his personal documents, including his national identity card, land documents and school fees receipts, and threw them inside the grave,” said Mkongani Assistant Chief Albert Menza.
Moments before he killed himself on Friday night, Mr Baya was heard chanting funeral songs before whistling three times and shouting a final farewell in the darkness.
“After the songs, neighbours heard him whistle three times and shout, “Maisha yangu kwisha!” (my life is over),” said Mr Menza.
The man then hung himself from the tree that had given him work. When his son followed the direction of the shout, he found him hanging from a coconut tree.
According to neighbours, Mr Baya spoke openly about his death hours before he killed himself.
“He came to my home carrying some ‘mnazi’ (palm wine),” said Baraka Sheban. “He started drinking and talking about his death.”
Baya then went to another neighbour and invited him to his burial vigil the next day.
According to Mijikenda tradition, Baya’s family must dig his grave deeper than he did before they can bury him, if they want to avoid being haunted by his spirit.
