Gema elders pray for Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election

A group of elders have completed a one week fasting and praying sojourn at Mt Kenya and Aberdare forests to pray for peace, end of prevailing famine and the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The 112 elders, aged between 75 and 90 years and drawn from the Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru Association (Gema) avoided sex, alcohol and only survived on water and porridge for six days.

They were divided into two groups and sought to plead with their God for national cohesion, peaceful elections and end of prevailing famine.

One group of 12 elders was at Mt Kenya near Lenana peak while the other of 100 was at Aberdare ranges also known as Irima cia Nyandarua by the locals.

The 12 were former Mau Mau war generals while the 100 were majors during the warfare against colonialism.

SEPARATE PRAYERS

During the exercise, they would sang traditional songs to please God, pray together and later have separate prayers, believing they are at the God’s alter.

One of the elders, Mwangi Kariuki also known as Matenjagwo said they were never attacked by wild animals like elephants believing that God protected them.

“There were incidents of attempted insecurity though the Kenya Wildlife Service had assured us security and offered two guards to accompany us. They animals kept a distance from us,” said Mr Matenjagwo.

Traditionally when the country took directions of war or disharmony, he added, we conducted such secret and special prayers and things would stabilise.

“Leaders are making some utterances and this is how things were used to be done when the country was in such a situation,” he said.

He explained that, the elders will return to the mountains for from June 30 for another session of prayers and to confirm whether received their pleas.

ANSWERED PRAYERS

“We have our own signs to confirm which are private. For one to know has to go various stages traditionally,” Mr Muhoro said adding that they are not allowed to disclose the signs that symbolises whether God has answered prayers or not.

If God is yet to answer, he said, the elders come back on the same day but will not sacrifice any ram until the month of August after elections.

Interestingly, no sacrifices are offered in the month of July.

Traditionally the Agikuyu believe that the month of July is when God is given time to go through prayer requests that His people have made to Him, Mr Muhoro said.

He added that later in August the elders from the association will meet and decide on the point on which they will construct a ‘Holy Point’ in Mt Kenya where they will be holding their special prayers.