Murang’a Governor, Mwangi wa Iria, has welcomed a move by a section of elders to cleanse Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga Shrine after a ritual which was held at the site to install the National Assembly Speaker as spokesperson of GEMA Community.
The Governor said he is behind the cleansing ceremony organised to take place on Friday by a section of elders drawn from Kiama Kia-ma and Kikuyu Council of Elders.
Some elders who arrived at the Governor’s office to seek permission to hold prayers at the shrine and after at Mumbi grounds said the coronation of Muturi abused the shrine as its purpose is to conduct traditional prayers.
Wa Iria has been in forefront opposing coronation of Muturi as spokesperson of GEMA, saying the occasion could have been done elsewhere but not at the shrine.
The Governor for long time has been castigating the elders led by Patron of Kiama Kia-ma, Kungu Muigai, who were behind the installation event terming them as political brokers.
“I support the cleansing of Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga shrine. The involvement of police during the coronation of Muturi at the shrine was wrong and an abuse to the place where the Agikuyu community offered traditional prayers,” he said, after meeting the elders who were led by Njoroge Mugo, Vice Chairman of Kiama Kia-ma.
In the cleansing preparations, the elders plan to start the exercise at 5am in the shrine and later hold prayers at Mumbi grounds in Murang’a town.
The organisers so far, have acquired a permit from security agents to hold the meeting and requested the County Government to deploy health officers to guide and check on adherence to Covid-19 protocols.
Wa Iria said there will be no need for police officers as the event will be peaceful assuring the elders that health officers will be at Mumbi grounds to ensure protocols to contain spread of covid-19 are adhered.
On May 22, Muturi who hails from Mount Kenya East was crowned by a section of elders as spokesperson of GEMA community.
Those behind the coronation claimed that they arrived at Muturi after lengthy deliberations involving elders from Meru, Embu, Tharaka and Agikuyu communities.
The Patron of Kiama Kia-ma, speaking during the coronation exercise accused the people who were against the occasion, saying Muturi was crowned as spokesperson and a person who will link the communities in larger Mount Kenya and the government.
Wa Iria downplaying the installation of Muturi said Mount Kenya currently has President Kenyatta as their spokesperson and leader, saying power brokers were after Muturi’s money.
“We have our leader, how comes you crown another person to be a spokesperson when already we have the power!” posed Wa Iria.
More than 2, 000 elders are expected to participate in the Friday’s occasion with security officers being on alert to maintain peace.
The elders further asked the County Government to man the shrine so as to avoid being abused by some individuals.
By Bernard Munyao
