The revered Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders, which holds much sway among the Meru community from Thuci in Tharaka Nithi to Ntonyiri, the farthest end of Meru County, is a divided house after emergence of two factions.
The split has been caused by politicians keen to woo the elders to their side, as they try to win various elective seats. Politicians who win the backing of the influential elders stand a better chance of being elected.
One group led by council secretary general Phares Ruteere and chairman Paul M’Ithinkia is fighting for supremacy against another led by Josphat Murangiri and Linus Kathera, as secretary general and chairman, respectively.
In July, the Murangiri group held a meeting at the elders’ Nhiru shrine headquarters to discuss their new constitution and usher in new leaders to replace Ruteere’s group.
The meeting was attended by Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi and several MPs and MCAs.
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Ruteere now claims their rivals have been taken over by politicians out to misuse their influence to win seats in the 2017 General Election.
Kiraitu is running for governor against incumbent Peter Munya, while Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi, also in Kiraitu’s camp, is running for Senate.
Incidentally, it was Munya who led the Murangiri faction in ousting Ruteere’s as the council officials on February 7, 2015, after he protested their decision to install Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki as spokesman of the Ameru community.
Ruteere, M’Ithinkia, former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, Lands Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi and other elders and political leaders from the larger Meru converged at Kijege Hill shrine in Tharaka, where Kindiki was made an elder.
“You have now become the Ameru community spokesman and you have our blessings. You will speak for the community on matters political, economic and social,” Ruteere said at the coronation.
However, two days later, Munya trashed the elders’ endorsement of Kindiki as the spokesman of the Ameru and labelld them “traitors”.
“Spokesmen are the leaders of various units. MPs and MCAs are spokesmen in their own rights. The Meru governor (him) is the spokesman of the county,” Munya said and a week later accompanied elders to Nchiru shrine where Ruteere and his allies were ousted.
The ousted elders sued the Meru County Government for facilitating their rivals.
On October 22, 2015, Judge Francis Gikonyo, reading Justice James Makau’s ruling, said the court could not rule on the matter brought by Ruteere and M’Ithinkia challenging their ouster. He directed the Registrar of Societies to bring the feuding parties together and find an amicable settlement.
Ever since that directive, the rift in the council has widened as elections approach.
Muthaura, who has been serving as the council patron had been identified as the mediator in the feud.
Muthaura accompanied the Murangiri group in unveiling their new constitution and leaders recently, an event that angered Ruteere and his group.
Last week, over 600 elders converged at the Meru ASK showground and replaced Muthaura with Chuka University vice chancellor Erastus Njoka as patron and asked politicians to stay away from the Njuri Ncheke affairs.
“It is a big challenge given to me. The priority now is to restore the unity in the elders’ council because we want to achieve the unity of the Ameru in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties,” said Prof Njoka, who is also chairman of Meru Professionals Association (MPA).
