Kikuyu elders plant another ‘mugumo’ tree

By JOB WERU

A team of Kikuyu elders trooped to Giakanja village in Nyeri County, where they held prayers and planted another mugumo tree at a site where one fell early this year.

The elders, led by the co-ordinator of Gikuyu and Mumbi Cultural Museum Samuel Kamitha, who is also the messenger for Kikuyu community Chief Seer, also held traditional rituals at the site, before handing it over to the local community.

On Thursday, the elders announced the tree can now be used for firewood. The elders, also slaughtered a sheep, whose meat was roasted as a sacrifice to God.

They said the ritual was to give thanks to God for the Government and other blessings that the country has realised.

Surprisingly, nobody was allowed to take the meat, with the elders saying it is supposed to burn until the whole sheep’s carcass is consumed by fire. Women were not allowed to access the scene, and children were later asked to leave the site as the meat started roasting.

Mr Mathenge wa Iregi, who conducted the rituals, also spilled some blood, saying it was meant to appease their forefathers.

Iregi said the tree that fell early this year was estimated to be about 1,000 years old. “Fig trees take longer to grow, and going by the size of the tree, we believe it should be more than 1,000 years,” he said.

Younger president

He said the tree was the second to fall in the country. “The first tree fell slightly before colonialists left Kenya, and it was in Thika. President Uhuru Kenyatta graced an occasion where he planted a replacement,” said Iregi.

The fall of the Giakanja tree caused excitement in Central Kenya, with elders terming it an Ituika, which means generational change.

Elders claimed the fall reflected the outcome of the March General Election, saying then a younger president would succeed President Kibaki.

Most of those who talked to journalists then predicted Uhuru was to take over the mantle. “We now converged here to pray that God guides our President and his deputy William Ruto and the entire Government,” said Iregi. Some had claimed it symbolised the defeat of the immediate former MP F T Nyammo.