INVESTIGATING THE PREVALENCE OF SATANISM IN ZAMBIA WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO KABWE DISTRICT BY HACHINTU JOSEPH KAYUNI Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY In the subject RELIGIOUS STUDIES At the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROF. G.J.A. LUBBE (UNISA) CO-PROMOTOR: Dr. A.M. CHEYEKA (UNZA) APRIL 2013 0 DEDICATION To my beloved daughter, Luyando and Dad. Luyando, true to the meaning of your name, you are to me a living example of unconditional love. I cherish you my daughter. And to you, Dad: though departed, you are fondly remembered. You were already tired few hours before you finally left us, but you stretched your weary hand to give me a pen, a gesture whose meaning shall remain ever vivid in my mind. i DECLARATION Student Number: 3397-624-4 I, HACHINTU KAYUNI JOSEPH, do hereby declare that Investigating the Prevalence of Satanism in Zambia with Particular Reference to the Kabwe District is my work and that with the exception of the sources I have used or quoted, which have been indicated by means of complete references, the rest is the outcome of my own investigation. Signature:............................... Date:.................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Much of the material for this report was gathered in 2010-2012 during which period I was fully engaged in teaching at Nkrumah University College. The actual research data derives chiefly from the field work that was conducted in 2011. I am grateful to Mr. Jere Godwin, who was Religious Studies Head of Section at Nkrumah University College, for helping me in finding time within my busy work schedule, to work on my thesis. I am grateful also to my supervisors, Prof. G. Lubbe (UNISA) and Dr. A. Cheyeka (UNZA) for what turned out to be a complete academic freedom to consult them at any time I needed help. To my family members I express my gratitude for putting up with my absence from home on a number of times when work on my studies demanded so. I am also indebted to Dr. D. Chibamba from The University of Zambia’s School of Natural Sciences - Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, for raising my morale to forge ahead in times of difficulty, as well as for being my inspirational peer. Besides, Dr. Chibamba took part in editing my thesis. Still at The University of Zambia, I extend my gratitude to Mr. Musesho Hassan from the Languages Department, Linguistic and African Languages Section for editing the final draft of my thesis. To Mr. Clifford Kantini and Mr. Gabriel Siamulambe, I am grateful for the time they dedicated in proof-reading my thesis in manuscript. I owe all the above cited a great debt of gratitude. iii ABSTRACT This study examined the alleged prevalence of Satanism in Zambia, with a particular reference to the Kabwe District during the period 2010-2013. The overall objective was to ascertain the claims and speculations on the alleged prevalence of Satanism in the district of Kabwe. The claims about the alleged prevalence of Satanism and the satanic scare were found by this study to be a reality in Kabwe, with eighty-eight per cent (88%) of the respondents acknowledging the alleged prevalence of the phenomenon. People’s knowledge of Satanism was mainly through rumours, messages from Churches and the electronic media. Studies on rumours (by Stephen Ellis, Gerrie Ter Haar and Jeffrey Victor) have shown that rumours can be investigated in the search for facts, especially rumours that offer plausible explanations for people’s shared anxieties. The above mentioned scholars argue that with efforts at corroboration, such as by interviewing key informants, the researcher can seek credibility on prevailing rumours by verifying or dismissing mere rumours from true stories. The assertions from scholars above justified the use of rumours as a methodological tool in this study. From sources of information the study relied on, claims about the alleged prevalence of Satanism in the district were investigated. The study refuted the satanic claims in a number of cases that were analysed, because they were mostly based on ‘pious legends’ hence lacked objective evidence. From the few incidents that suggested the prevalence of Satanism, there were still two basic problems faced in assessing their credibility: the first being the difficulty in determining the reliability of the confessions from informants who in this case either claimed they were ex-Satanists or served on behalf of Satanists. The second problem consisted in what seemed to be the inconsistency in the explanations of motives behind human killings found in the ritual murders. Some explanations did not suggest satanic motives. One example of refuted claims concerned the two locations within Kabwe district which were highly rumoured to be sites for Satanists, which were found by this study to be Freemasonry Lodges, contrary to what was rumoured. iv From the findings of this study, it was believed that people joined Satanism either because of the greedy for riches or to avoid poverty. It was also believed that other peoples joined Satanism unconsciously through luring methods used by Satanists. The study also found the satanic scare to have effects on the lives of people in the district. For example, it caused some people to become more committed Christians in their defence against the alleged satanic forces. Because people had associated riches to Satanism, certain individuals avoided getting rich for fear of being labelled ‘Satanists’. v KEY TERMS Black magic; Church of Satan; Demonology; Devil worship; Economic despondency; Kabwe District; Lenje People; Modern Satanism; Occult religion; Ritual murder; Rumours; Satanic Bible; Satanic scare; Satanism; Serial killer; Zambia. ABBREVIATIONS ATR: African Traditional Religion. CID: Criminal Investigation Department - the department of the Police force that is responsible for solving crime. IMF: International Monetary Fund. KCCI: Kabwe Chamber of Commerce and Industry LDCs: Least Developed Countries - A category of low-income states that are deemed structurally disadvantaged in their development process. MMD: Multiparty Movement Democracy. RAs: Research Assistants. SDA: Seventh-day Adventists. This is usually used in the phrase ‘SDA Church’, one of the Christian church congregations in Kabwe. UCZ: United Church of Zambia. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PRELIMINARY PAGES Dedication...................................................................................................... ............ i Declaration..................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgement..................................................................................................... iii Abstract .....................................................................................................................iv Key Terms ................................................................................................................ v Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. v CHAPTER ONE: Introduction Page 1.1 Background.....................................................................................................1 1.2 Statement of Problem.....................................................................................2 1.3 Rationale................. .......................................................................................3 1.4 Objectives ......................................................................................................4 1.5 Literature Review...........................................................................................4 1.6 Background to Satanism ................................................................................6 1.7 Modern Satanism ..........................................................................................6 1.7.1 The Composition and Characteristic Features of Modern Satanism...............7 1.7.2 Modern Satanic Principles, Beliefs and Practices ..........................................8 1.7.3 Satan as Scapegoat.......................................................................................12 1.8 Satanic Diaspora...........................................................................................14 1.9 Intellectual Precursors to Modern Satanism.................................................15 1.9.1 Political Pessimism ......................................................................................16 1.9.2 Radical Individualism..................................................................................18 1.9.3 An Occultic Digression ...............................................................................21 1.9.4 The Philosophy of Egoism ..........................................................................23 1.10 Satan in Many Faces......................................................................................24 1.12 Theistic (Biblical) Satanism..........................................................................26 1.13 The Early Church’s Concept of the Devil ....................................................27 1.14 ‘Satan’ and ‘the Devil’ identified as one ......................................................28 1.15 An Account of Satanism in East Africa .......................................................32 vii 1.16 An Account of Satanism in Zambia .............................................................34