A section of the Kikuyu Council of Elders affiliated with Kiama Kia Ma in Kiambu County has been thrown into controversy. They have accused a senior member aged over 70 of concealing his uncircumcised status for years while conducting sacred cultural rites.
The elders are led by Captain Kung’u Muigai. He is a retired military officer and businessman who also serves as patron of the Kikuyu National Council of Elders. Muigai is a first cousin of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The elders claim the man only underwent circumcision about five years ago. They cited evidence from the person who took him for the procedure. They also pointed to a doctor’s letter confirming the timing.
Muigai said initiation at such an advanced age left the individual with significant cultural dirt. He added that the man had joined the council as a boy and performed many rites. Some of the ceremonies took place at Muigai’s home. The man also rejected pleas to undergo cleansing.
The elders warned that people who went through rites conducted by him may require cultural purification. They threatened to reverse the ceremonies.
The row has also raised questions about the man’s role in discussions on Ituika. This is the traditional Agikuyu ceremony for transferring authority between generations. It is performed every 30 to 40 years. Muigai stressed that the elders would not allow the tradition to be trivialised.
The council now plans to verify the circumcision status of prospective members before admission. Some elders even threatened to initiate uncircumcised members themselves. They have also demanded an apology from those who elevated the member.
The matter has sparked online debate. Some people have questioned the public airing of internal cultural issues.