Contest between East and West of the mountain offing
By The Mountain Journal
A team of 30 elders will on Friday
converge at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga Shrine for a cleansing ceremony following the coronation of speaker Justin Muturi on May 22.
The team of organisers drawn from the camps of
Kiama Kiama and Kikuyu Council of Elders have been meeting since Friday last
week to plan on the day’s programme while the traditional prayers for the shrine
and the nation will be held at Mumbi grounds.
Photo/Elder Rev Peter Munga Ngugi
Leaders Dr Njoroge Mugo and Rev
Peter Munga Ngugi received clearance from the police to use the grounds for the
traditional rituals, saying the cleansing ceremony will be conducted following
the political issues that were featured at the shrine during the coronation of
Muturi as the Gema community spokesperson.
Early the police had rejected the
application by the elders giving reasons as Covid 19 protocols and security.
Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has been
supporting the cleansing ceremony of the shrine after the organisers of the
coronation did contrary to the traditions.
Munga said over 2,000 community leaders drawn from the west of Mt Kenya including Mombasa, Lamu, Laikipia, Uasin Gishu will be expected for the traditional prayers at the Mumbi grounds.
“Arrangements have been made to
adhere to the Covid 19 protocols as guided by the department of health at Murang’a
County Government,” said Munga.
Munga said the events conducted at the holy place are unethical and showed alot of disrespect to the community.
” This will not be repeated again as it was a ploy to divide the mountain for political interests when the leaders have been working to bring the leaders together for a common approach,” he said.
The shrine has to be cleanised as alot of misdeed to the community were conducted as the armed policemen gained entry.
Iria has raised concerns saying the coronation
ceremony ought to have been conducted elsewhere as the shrine remains a sacred
place.
“Hundreds of leaders and community
elders called demanding to know why we allowed manipulation of the tradition by
outsiders,” said Iria.
The ceremony is scheduled to start at 5 am at
the shrine, while the prayers at Mumbi kick off at 10 until 1pm.
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