Speaker Justin Muturi coronation: Another feather in the cap of Mbeere

National Assembly Speaker, Justin Muturi, with a section of Elders from Muranga County addressing a press conference during a cleansing ceremony at a secret location on Wednesday, 19th, May, 2021. [Samson Wire. Standard].

The National Assembly on Wednesday this week sought to know the whereabouts of Speaker Justin Muturi.

His absence, while the National Assembly was approving Martha Koome's appointment as CJ was visible. However, despite his absence, Muturi's little-known tribe in Embu County must be celebrating. Today’s political chessboard trolls this little-known tribe that has sired notable politicians.

As you read this, Muturi is being ‘fermented’ awaiting coronation as Mt Kenya senior elder in Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga, a mythical Agikuyu archetype of the garden of Eden, located in Kiharu Constituency, Murang’a County.

Kiharu MP Samson Ndindi Nyoro, a few days ago, collided with speaker Muturi in Parliament for his “sell-outs" remarks. Muturi told him to go to Kiharu and make noise from there. But I digress. By the time Muturi will be out tomorrow, he will be seated high on the right hand of the likes of Uhuru Muigai wa Kenyatta.

During the preparation for the coronation, Speaker Muturi isn’t supposed to meet Mayengs (women) and fertile men—it’s a strict ritual that requires prior cleansing; that the elders said he is not liking.

Justin Muturi is not, by tribe, a Gikuyu, Embu, Meru (GEMA); he hails from a not so much known ethnic group of about 100,000 people who inhabit part of the former Mbeere District together with other ethnic groups such as Kamba, Kikuyu and Embu. Together they total 195,000.

Mbeere people are linguistically and culturally different, but closely related to Kikuyu, Embu, Meru and Kamba. Mbeere is the tribe of the mighty Jeremiah Nyaga family. Since we are in the traditional ceremony mood, and the names of ancestors will be invoked, I am sure late Joe Nyaga spirit is pleased.

Muturi’s coronation, means a lot to us from Mbeere, as it puts us squarely as members of GEMA and would propose that now the ‘M’ be understood to mean Mbeere and Meru.

Muturi has seen things as Speaker. In 2016, he had to reign over the National Assembly during President Uhuru Kenyatta's annual State of the Nation address. Legislators interrupted the president's speech by whistling. These, among other incidences like the BBI Bill judgement, must have caught the attention of the Gikuyu elders at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga.

Muturi is not known for political pronunciations outside Parliament; he plays his cards tactically. The street word is that he is among the closest buddies of the President.

Muturi, the former MP for Siakago Constituency (now Mbeere South), was ousted by another heavyweight politician from Mbeere, the former Embu Senator Lenny Kivuti, who almost defeated governor Wambora in the 2017 General Elections. He is eyeing the gubernatorial seat come 2022.

Notably, prominent leaders from the Mbeere community hide under the Embu tribe. For instance, Benga musician Newton Karish (MCA Muminji ward in Mbeere North) used to refer to himself as a son of Embu and later of Mumbeere. This mulatto complex obscured the tribe until recently. Whether this association catapulted the tribe into political relevance, I don't know.

Once ‘anointed’, Muturi will negotiate for the mountainside come 2022 and probably be among the top political honchos in Kenya. His coronation is relevant to the Mount Kenya region and Embu county and, specifically, Mbeere people.

Dr Ndonye is a Political Economist of Communication