Kikuyu Council of Elders and their counterparts Kiama Kia Ma united in condemning what they described as desecration of the holy Agikuyu shrine after the coronation of National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
The elders announced that the revered Agikuyu shrine of Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga will be cleansed on June 4 by a select team of elders and thereafter hold national prayers at Ihura Stadium in Murang’a town.
In a joint statement signed by the Kikuyu Council of Elders national chairman Wachira Kiago and Kiama Kia Ma national chairman Ndungu Gaithuma, the two leaders said they were shocked to see the blatant defilement of the shrine.
Kiago observed that while Muturi is a respectable leader who has rights to aspire to any office, he was misled by renegade elders who took him through a ‘’dirty’’ process that left genuine elders in consternation.
He said it was shocking to see Muturi who is already a Mbeere elder being given a sword and a shield which are normally given to young men immediately after initiation.
Kiago said the renegade elders were completely out of order and it was clear they did not understand what they were doing, adding that giving Muturi a horn flute was also wrong.
“Hon J B Muturi has a constitutional and democratic right to aspire for any office of his choice but was misled by the renegade elders to blatantly disrespect and desecrate the most revered Agikuyu Shrine,’’ said Kiago.
Kiago said they have invited Muturi to sit with recognized and mandated leaders of the Agikuyu, since they recognize him as a national leader and elder of the Mbeere and a proposed spokesman of Mt Kenya East.
Gaithuma said Capt Kungu Muigai who claims to be the patron of elders was an imposter who was banished from Kiama Kia Ma and is not allowed to attend, preside or oversee any cultural ceremony due to his abusive culture, lies, intimidation of elders, and appointing himself as a patron.
“He has not undergone any Gikuyu Eldership rite of passage. His vulgar utterances against Murang’a governor Mwangi Wa Iria, elected by over 600,000 people from the precincts of the Shrine is an abomination and abuse of culture and does not show eldership,’’ said Gaithuma.
The coronation of Muturi at the shrine has caused massive fallout in the region with sharp divisions with some opposing and others supporting.
Muturi has said he will soldier on despite the controversy and his next stop is Ukambani where he will meet the Kamba elders.
