This archive report was first published on 10 May 2021.
Published on May 10, 2021, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru emphasized the importance of cultural diversity in Kenya, calling on citizens to promote and enjoy the rich cultural heritage that exists among communities.
Waiguru made the remarks during a meeting between the Meru Council of Elders (Njuri Ncheke) and the Kikuyu Council of Elders (Kiama Kia Ma) at the Sun City Hotel in Sagana.
She urged the elders to pass on knowledge to the youths on how certain aspects of life were handled, including birth rites, initiation to adulthood, marriage ceremonies, and burial rites.
"The elders should teach the youths the various rites which are performed after a child is born, initiation to adulthood, marriage ceremonies as well as burial rites in order for them to carry on to the future generations," the Governor said.
Waiguru also warned against the exploitation of the elders' influence in society, stating that their roles were non-political and purely cultural.
She further underscored the need for frequent cultural exchange and urged the elders to embark on a vigorous campaign against gender violence, which she noted was threatening to tear apart the social fabric.
From the Meru side, their Secretary-General Josepha Murangiri led the elders, while Bishop Cyrus Kithaka, the Kirinyaga Council chair, hosted the visitors.
Former Mwea MP Peter Gitau, an ardent cultural believer, also attended the meeting and castigated women who were said to be battering their husbands in the area.
