When in doubt, you can always fall back on a snake story

Back in the day, we went through cycles when an unlikely and unbelievable tale would spread like wildfire across towns and valleys. The spreaders of these stories were so convincing that the episodes often ended with entire villages painting crosses on their doors to ward off evil spirits. In the 80s, 90s and every other time in between, we have had different versions of what is essentially the same story. There is always an evil spirit involved, whether it is a jinn or kakalabanda that is a detail. 

Once the goblin gets a hold of you, they used to say, it will do unspeakable things to you. At the root of these crazy tales was the intention to strike fear in the hearts of all who heard them. There was always some accompanying caution that everybody needed to lock their doors at sundown or else…And there was no social media then.

Still, the stories flew from door to door with impressive speed. Enter social media and it is fertile ground for anyone seeking to spread ghost stories. This week Twitter has been abuzz about young girls who are breastfeeding snakes. One wonders why these victims (one of whom claims she was sworn to silence by the way) didn’t report this to the police, with evidence of their injuries. I think the rich people in this town have enough problems without being bundled into a big basket of snake worshippers. Clearly it is someone’s intention to divert some tweeps from other discussions so that they spend time whispering about what may or may not have happened in some bedroom in Munyonyo or wherever the reptile nursing reportedly took place. 
Maybe I am hiding behind the false security of being very far from the possibility of being in the same room as a man and his snakes but I am choosing to dismiss these slithering reptile tales for what they most likely are; the work of some cunning, cold and calculating mastermind. 

This may indeed be the case, as some checkers have already indicated that these stories are resurrecting possibly from as far back as 2013. Social media can be a very powerful force for good. It can also be used to benefit evil purposes. In recent weeks, Ugandan streets of social media had become so savage and unforgiving, shredding everything and everyone who crossed their path that I am willing to bet someone made up or resurrected some relatable tale to suck in some young people and capture their imagination for a while.

After all, which young social climbing female has not either dreamt of or ended up in some wealthy guy’s company? And many-a-young man her age has been sneering as she runs after men his father’s age. This snake content is tantalising and finds a ready ear with these audiences and all their associates and sympathisers.  

In a country where witches advertise their services over the radio, on street poles and now on Tiktok, the belief in the power of some (usually evil) supernatural forces is so widespread that someone looking to spin a fine yarn would find that snakes in the mysterious dark rooms of wealthy men make good material. In some places, people take these wild tales and make movies out of them. 
Here the popular choice seems to be to recycle them and serve them up to fresh audiences at a time of someone’s convenience. Also, I never got to hear what happened to those people who didn’t shut their doors back in the 80s and 90s when the jinn were reportedly roaming Kampala’s suburbs.

Ms Nampewo is a writer, editor and communications consultant     
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