How Njuri Ncheke elders endorsed Kindiki's leadership

President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithuru Kindiki at KICC, Nairobi, on November 1, 2024. [Elvis Ogina]

As new Deputy President Kithure Kindiki was taking oath of office Friday, the Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru elders converged at their Gitoro shrine, for thanksgiving prayers.

It was not lost to many that it is the council that in 2015 endorsed Prof Kindiki, then Tharaka Nithi Senator, as the spokesman of the Meru community; the six sub-tribes that live between Thuci river in Tharaka Nithi county to Ntonyiri, the farthest end of Meru county.

The former Interior Cabinet Secretary's swearing-in as President William Ruto's deputy was to the elders a fulfilment of their prayers for him (Kindiki) and an assurance that they picked the right candidate to be the spokesman of the Ameru.

Though elders councils and elders from Mt Kenya East (Embu, Tharaka Nithi and Meru) counties also later endorsed the law professor as the spokesman of the region's socio-economic and political interests at the national level, it is the Njuri Ncheke elders who set the ball rolling.

The council's Secretary General (Programmes) Washington Muthamia led the elders in prayers for the national government and Kindiki.

It was in January 2015 when the Njuri elders from Meru and Tharaka Nithi converged at Kijege forest shrine, where they installed Kindiki into the council and coronated him as the spokesman of the Ameru, in an elaborate traditional ceremony attended by the former Head of Public Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura, former Land Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi and MPs among others.

Then Elders Council Secretary General Phares Ruteere and Chairman Paul Ethingia (both deceased) presided over the ceremony in a special section of the shrine.

"You have now become the Meru community spokesman. You have the blessings of the Ameru, from Thuci to Ntonyiri. You will speak for the community on matters political, economic and social," Ruteere said.

Kindiki was robed and handed the stick, fly-whisk and other symbols of power, by the elders.

"The voice of the Meru people will now be stronger. We are happy because Kindiki is with us now," Amb Muthaura, also a Njuri elder said.

Muthaura said Kindiki had proved his worth to the community.

The Deputy President pledged to unite the region and advance the interests of the people at the national level.

"I will serve the entire Meru, and Kenya, following the wisdom of the elders. I am thankful for this gesture. I will work to unite all people," he said.

At the Gitoro shrine, the elders reminisced about their decision to install Kindiki as spokesman of 'Greater Meru'.

"We thank President Ruto for picking Kindiki as the DP and we have faith in their capacity to deliver. We are the ones, as elders who made Kindiki the spokesman of the greater Meru community from our two counties, because we saw his leadership skills very early," Mr Muthamia said.

The elders are optimistic trust that Ruto and Kindiki will focus on service delivery.

"There is too much politicking in the country and we want to move away from all that and focus on service delivery," Muthamia stated.