Jomo and Achola – Itara and Ruracio, what’s the difference?

 Photo: Courtesy

All roads led to Gatundu over the weekend where the Itara ceremony for Jomo Kenyatta, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s eldest son, was held.

However, it seemed like most did not understand what an Itara ceremony means and that it (the Itara ceremony), traditional in its nature, does not replace a church wedding but is part of the process leading to a church wedding.

Following the Itara ceremony, controversial blogger Robert Alai took to Facebook sharing photos of the Itara ceremony with this message:

“Congrats to #JomoAndAchola for the beautiful itara. You stuck to a great traditional wedding while poor Africans want to show how Westernised they are in their weddings. May you have a great life ahead.”

This did not go down well on Facebook as facebookers took to schooling him on what an Itara is, insisting that in no way is it a replacement of a white/church wedding.

“It is a traditional wedding,” wrote Njeri Maniki

“It is called 'Itara' (getting to see the nesting place for their daughter) done at the groom's home. It comes after the Ruracio (dowry payment at the bride’s home),” clarified Mukami Njoroge-Matundura.

Others condemned him for trying to dictate people’s preferences with their wedding styles with wedding planner Martha Namaemba saying, “Robert Alai Onyango that wedding looks expensive... being an event planner I know how it's expensive to do a ruracio ,Itera and a westernized wedding.... there are different cultures and doing a westernized wedding doesn't mean they are poor Africans... with this I have to disagree with you.... yes there those that exaggerate but growing up in the church we all know there's a difference between TAS and Christianity... so it's a wide topic to cover... they looked lovely in their outfits too.... thanks for sharing the photo.”

Their church wedding will be held before the 2017 general elections.