It was a shocking revelation that came with a peculiar dream, a dream that led to the discovery of dozens of dismembered bodies dumped at a quarry in Mukuru Kwa Njenga.
The ‘vision’ that unearthed the grotesque scene at the abandoned quarry came through Peris Keya Andika, whose sister Josephine Owino Mulongo was among the dead.
Peris recounts how Josephine visited her in a dream after going missing for about three weeks.
The last time the siblings were together, Josephine received a call before leaving. Peris says the call came from a man her sister said was her friend.
For several days, the family had no idea of Josephine’s whereabouts until Peris visualised her situation in a dream.
“In the middle of the night, while I was asleep, my sister appeared, looking furious. The first thing she asked was why I was telling people about her disappearance. Then she started hitting me. Before I could react, I found myself outside the house, where she led me to a raised place and showed me where she stays,” says Peris.
Upon turning to respond, Josephine disappeared, and that marked the end of the dream. Disturbed and shaken, Peris connected the place to a nearby quarry and shared her dream with her family.
Interestingly, some family members, like cousin Everlyn Namai, had experienced a similar dream twice.
“She pleaded with me to take her out of the cold and make sure she was buried at home. She also asked why we had left her in the cold. That’s when I realised something was wrong,” Everlyn recounted.
This horrifying dream prompted the family to search, leading to the discovery of her body among the nine recovered from the abandoned quarry, which had become a dumpsite.
The relatives’ revelation ignited debate on whether dreams serve any purpose, though most African communities hold dearly to dreams connecting them to the past and future.
Dreams often foretell the future or reveal hidden truths, thus functioning as a link between the physical world and spiritual domain.
It came as no surprise to most Kenyans when Peris opened up about how the whereabouts of her missing sister appeared in a dream.
People experience dreams, usually interpreted with either positive or negative outcomes, as is the case of Richard Nyamaye.
A resident of Tassia estate, the 54-year-old believes in the power of dreams. When his brother Richard Nyabuto was killed in Dandora by criminals and his body dumped in Nairobi River, no one knew his whereabouts until the deceased became a “nuisance” in dreams.
“He used to stay alone, so when he passed on, days later my mother dreamt about him. She informed us, but we ignored her. When she again called, lamenting that she had the same dream, we decided to check on our brother since he could not be reached on his mobile phone,” says Richard.
They found an unlocked house, and inside, everything was disorganized with items strewn all over the floor.
The family filed a missing report at Kinyago Police Station before mounting a search for Titus, whose body was later found at City Mortuary with deep cuts.
The body was apparently recovered along Nairobi River within Dandora.
According to Richard, the dreams among relatives pointed to what had happened to their kin.
“The last dream was from our younger brother, whom he instructed to find him along Nairobi River,” says Richard.
Lucas Mukwana, an elder among the Luhya community, explains that traditionally, search parties underwent a cleansing ritual.
Those who discovered the body were required to receive ‘Amanyasi’ (herbs) to protect themselves from the deceased’s spirit, which could otherwise haunt and drive them insane.
Additionally, they were expected to stay at the funeral site from the day the body was found until the burial, without returning home. Failure to comply could result in insanity.
Also, a specific ritual was performed on the deceased to prevent their spirit from haunting their family members, directing it instead to haunt those responsible for their death. According to Bishop Innocent Wandera of Faith Alive Ministry, once someone dies, that is the end of them until Jesus comes again.
Quoting the book of Job 14:10-12, Wandera says: “But a person dies and fades away; he breathes his last as water disappears from a lake and a river becomes parched and dry, so people lie down never to rise again. They will not wake up until the heavens are no more; they will not stir from their sleep.”
He explains that once someone dies, they have no means of communication.
They cannot contact the living, either by speaking to them or by reappearing in places and homes they once loved – and no human being has the power to “call” them.
“There can never be haunting in the form of the departed ones appearing to us; it just isn’t possible,” insists the bishop.
He believes the dead cannot speak back and does not want his children to be tricked or misled.
“I don’t want my children to open themselves up to dangerous influences, very likely by control of Satan, masquerading as the faces of loved ones,” says Wandera.
On the other hand, psychologist Mildred Asima explains that dreams can help people process their grief and come to terms with the loss.
They provide a space to work through complex emotions that might be difficult to handle in waking life.
She further says that dreams can help maintain a psychological bond with the deceased, which is a normal part of the grieving process.
According to Asima, different cultures have varied interpretations of dreams involving the deceased.
In some cultures, dreams are seen as visits from the spirit world, offering messages or guidance.
While to some individuals, dreams may be experienced as spiritual encounters, providing a sense of peace or closure.
“Dreams of departed loved ones can be a valuable tool for understanding a client’s emotional state and processing their grief,” opines Asima.
Adding that personal reflection on dreams can offer insights into one’s emotional well-being, help identify unresolved feelings, and aid in personal growth.
The psychologist says that after a loss, people often need to reconstruct their identity and find a new sense of self and that dreams can play a role in reconstruction by revisiting memories and past interactions with the departed soul.
“Dreams of departed loved ones are a complex interplay of emotional, cognitive, and cultural factors, providing a unique window into the grieving process and human psyche,” she says.
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