Increased child trafficking in Mombasa has been linked to politicians using witchcraft to win election, a human rights lobby has warned.

In one month alone, three children have been reported missing — the latest on Monday.

Police say kidnappings and child theft are new in Mombasa.

“In every election, cases of kidnapping of children and persons living with albinism rise drastically,” Haki Africa coordinator Francis Auma said.

Haki Africa said 28-year-old Pauline Gatwiri was tricked into giving up her two-month-old baby by a stranger, who promised to ensure the sickly child gets medical attention.

“A mortuary attendant at the Coast General Hospital also lost his nine-year-old daughter last month,” Haki Africa gender officer Salma Ahmed said on Monday.

Ahmed and Auma strongly suspect the trend could be linked to the election fever and desperate politicians.

The children could be traded to witch doctors, who harvest their organs for “rituals to cleanse politicians so they can defeat their rivals”, the rights group said.

Auma added that the kidnappings could be a form of threat to political rivals to give up. Demands for ransom have been made before in similar circumstances, he said.

“Persons living with albinism in Kwale and Kilifi are said to have started fleeing for safety as the campaigning heats up,” Auma said.

On Monday, detectives said they were tracing the phone of the woman who duped Gatwiri into giving away her baby. The last signal was traced to Shimanzi in Mombasa.

Analysts say use of kidnappings to settle political scores is not uncommon. Politicians are known to use the dark arts in the belief they will ensure victory.

“It’s true there have been increased numbers of people, especially children, being kidnapped with links to politics,” Kwale political analyst Albert Mairi said.

Claims about the use of witchcraft in the election have been made across the country.

In Eldoret, Kapsoya MCA candidate James Ratemo had his three children kidnapped and brutally murdered in May.

The motive behind the kidnappings and murders has not been disclosed, but there is speculation political rivalry could be one of several reasons.

Politicians are hell-bent on achieving victory at any cost.

They resort to paying witch doctors huge sums to capture voters’ hearts, repel adversaries’ magic, vanquish rivals and grasp power, the story read.

Witchcraft is illegal and punishable by as many as 10 years in prison.

“Medicine men are happy during elections. This is their harvest season,” said Professor Jack

Ogembo, a researcher in witchcraft and folk customs at Kabianga University, Kericho.

The deep-seated belief is that magic trumps merit.

Politicians find it difficult to base their quest for power entirely on manifestos, record, strategists, foot soldiers, barazas and bribes.

-The Star/ Brian Otieno