Mzee Pekeshe Ndeje anointed all and sundry

The late Mzee Pekeshe Ndeje with Najib Balala. [File, Standard]

The life of the late Mzee Pekeshe Ndeje, who died in 2014, was controversial and mysterious.

Many people erroneously believe that he shot to the limelight after the demise of the revered Mijikenda elder Simba Wanje in 2007. Ndeje’s claim to be the de facto leader of the Mijikenda kaya elders sparked controversy at the Coast, with other kaya elders rejecting it.