National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has telephoned Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Wachira Kiago for advice, as the cultural stand-off raged on over his coronation as the Mt Kenya spokesperson.
And in a demonstration of how serious he is taking the controversial issue of coronation, Muturi missed a crucial Parliamentary session where the next country’s Chief Justice Martha Koome was being vetted.
Muturi is said to be in isolation where he will spend 8 days of cleansing while undergoing other cultural rites ahead of the coronation slated for Saturday this week at the holy Agikuyu shrine of the Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga in Murang’a County.
The issue has sharply divided elders from the region with Kikuyu Council of Elders chaired by Kiago and Kiama Kia Ma chaired by Ndungu Gaithuma distancing themselves with the ceremony and warning of a disaster should the event go on as planned.
Murang’a County governor Mwangi Wa Iria said he was not aware of the event reminding the organisers that the holy shrine is under the trusteeship of Murang’a County government – and the only one who can give access.
When contacted Kiago said he was called by Muturi on Wednesday evening the Speaker sought his advice on the coronation.
Kiago said he told Muturi that the Kikuyu Council of Elders remains opposed to the event because they were never consulted and also because only prayers and other cultural ceremonies could be held there and not political activities.
Gaithuma on his part had said it would be sacrilegious for a political event to be held at the holy shrine and warned the organisers to be careful and not to mislead Muturi.
A section of elders lead by the self-styled Kiama Kia Ma patron Capt Kungu Muigai are behind the ceremony.
This would be the third ceremony after Muturi was coronated as the Mt Kenya East spokesperson by the Embu elders before proceeding for another ceremony conducted by Njuri Ncheke elders in Meru.
