Are the Occurrences of Witchcraft and Superstition in Swahili Literature a Part of African Philosophy?

This article discusses the issues of witchcraft and superstition within African philosophy by referencing works of Swahili literature. Its specific aim is to examine how different societies perceive the role of witchcraft and superstition, focusing on the foundations of indigenous culture. Primary data were collected from the library through careful reading. A purposive sampling technique was used to select three genres of written literature: epic poetry, novels, and drama. These texts were deemed suitable for fulfilling the article’s objective due to their distinctiveness. Some other texts were referenced occasionally to support and validate the primary data. The findings reveal that witchcraft and superstition are integral to social and spiritual arrangements rather than core aspects of philosophy itself. Witchcraft is not considered an African philosophy but is embedded in the culture and worldview. Likewise, African philosophy treats witchcraft as a part of life rather than its foundation. This article advocates that issues related to witchcraft and superstition should be studied as part of occult sciences, which ought to be made accessible to the broader public for the benefit of all.