In rural East Africa, the feared phenomenon of “night running” describes individuals who, reportedly possessed, cause nocturnal havoc while naked. This taboo ritual, long stigmatized and linked to witchcraft, has been reinvented in the modern era. A researcher exploring Kenyan media discovered a fascinating shift after the year 2000. Journalist Tony Mochama co-opted the trope for a popular column, reimagining the “night runner” as a metaphorical guide to Nairobi’s hidden nightlife. This clever rebranding transformed the figure from a rural object of fear into a symbol of urban exploration—one who sees the city’s secret underbelly. Consequently, this playful media reinvention has softened the ancient stigma, allowing new, metaphorical interpretations of “running the night” to thrive in the public imagination while still acknowledging the original folklore.
The Conversation
