Bizarre Rituals on Ugandan Streets: When Tradition Confronts Public Space
One night around 3 a.m., years ago, I was returning from Kiteezi with my sister. We had been helping our aunt close her bar and were dropped off at Kalerwe by a friend. From there, we chose to walk home to Kifumbira, a neighborhood just off Mawanda Road.
Uganda Today: Bizarre Rituals on Ugandan Streets: When Tradition Confronts Public Space
By Nvannungi Dianne | Special to Uganda Today
A disturbing video recently went viral across Ugandan social media, showing a young woman bathing in herbs at a busy junction, surrounded by surprised onlookers. While some dismissed it as mere drama, for others like myself, it evoked chilling memories of similar unsettling experiences deeply entrenched in our society’s intersection of superstition, desperation, and mysticism.
An Encounter at the Crossroads
One night around 3 a.m., years ago, I was returning from Kiteezi with my sister. We had been helping our aunt close her bar and were dropped off at Kalerwe by a friend. From there, we chose to walk home to Kifumbira, a neighborhood just off Mawanda Road.
As we neared the busy junction where roads from Mulago, Kyebando, Kamwokya, and Kalerwe intersect, a brand new Mercedes Benz sped past us. Initially, it was unremarkable — but moments later, we saw the same vehicle parked strangely at the heart of the junction.
Fear gripped us. Was it a trap? A kidnapping attempt? We instinctively hid behind a nearby house to observe from a safe distance.
A Midnight Ritual Unfolds
From our concealed spot, we watched in disbelief as two people — a man and a woman — emerged from the car. Both were wrapped in white cloths from the waist down, leaving their upper bodies exposed. From the car’s boot, they retrieved two buckets and proceeded to pour the contents over their bodies.
What followed was even more shocking: they pulled out two live chickens, slaughtered them, and smeared themselves with the blood. Then, as quickly as they had arrived, they got back into the Mercedes and drove off, leaving behind the buckets, the cloths, and the remains of the ritual.
This was not some deserted corner — it was a well-trafficked junction, even in the early hours of the morning. Yet, apart from a few passing motorcycles, no one else seemed to witness the eerie event.
Rain and an Ominous Aftermath
My sister was so shaken she nearly collapsed. Just as we tried to regain composure, the heavens opened and it began to pour. We dashed home without uttering a word.
The next morning, our aunt, curious after hearing our story, went to the site. But the heavy rain had washed away all evidence. The junction was eerily normal — no blood, no feathers, no cloth. No one in the area seemed to know what had happened.
However, by late afternoon, tragedy struck. A boda boda rider was killed instantly in a collision with a lorry — right at that same junction.
Urban Rituals or Superstition?
To this day, I wonder: did we witness a ritual sacrifice? Was the accident a tragic coincidence, or something more? The herbs, the blood, the timing — everything points to a deliberate spiritual act, possibly intended to invoke fortune, protection, or worse.
The resurfacing of such scenes, like the woman bathing in herbs in middle of the night as seen in the recent clip, is a jarring reminder of how ancient beliefs and practices continue to find expression in modern Uganda — even in public spaces.
Where Culture Meets Chaos
Whether rooted in witchcraft, traditional healing, or spiritual desperation, these actions raise urgent questions: How do we as a society interpret such displays? Should they be protected as expressions of culture or questioned as public health and safety concerns?
Whatever one believes, it is clear these rituals are real, disturbing, and still very much part of the invisible world that walks beside our own.
Editor’s Note:
If you’ve experienced or witnessed a similar event, Uganda Today invites you to share your story. Email: ugandatodayedition@gmail.com
Published by www.ugandatoday.co.ug, your trusted source for news and analysis
Website: https://www.ugandatoday.co.ug/about-cmk
Website: https://www.ugandatoday.co.ug
WhatsApp: +256 702 239 337
X (formerly Twitter): @uganda43443 | @ugtodaynews
Email: ugandatodayedition@gmail.com
Let’s help you grow your brand and keep your audience informed. Partner with Uganda Today—
