Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on traditional elders to play a greater role in preserving Kenya’s cultural heritage, family values and national cohesion amid growing social, economic and political challenges.
Dr Kindiki said elders remained important custodians of customs, culture and family values and had a responsibility to guide communities through complex issues affecting the country.
The Deputy President spoke in Nchiru, Meru County, on Friday after responding to a summons by the Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru Elders, where about 20,000 elders from Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties gathered for a traditional ceremony.
The gathering, described by organisers as a once-in-a-generation ceremony, brought together elders to pray for Kenya’s leadership, peace, stability and prosperity.
“The elders are the custodians of custom, culture and family values, guiding society to navigate complex social, economic, cultural and political issues,” Dr Kindiki said.
The ceremony came against the backdrop of heightened political activity as the country moves towards the 2027 General Election, placing renewed attention on calls for dialogue, national unity and peaceful political competition.
The elders pledged to extend their outreach beyond the Ameru community by engaging traditional leaders and elders from other parts of the country in an effort to strengthen national cohesion.
They said the initiative would seek to build bridges of friendship, promote reconciliation and encourage peaceful coexistence among Kenya’s diverse communities.
The move gives traditional leadership a potentially broader role in efforts to address divisions that often emerge along ethnic, political and regional lines, particularly during election periods.
Dr Kindiki’s participation also underscored the continued influence of traditional institutions in community mobilisation and reconciliation, even as Kenya relies primarily on constitutional institutions to resolve political and social disputes.
The Njuri Ncheke has historically played a significant role in Ameru cultural affairs, with elders serving as custodians of traditions and community values.
The Nchiru gathering therefore sought to link those traditional responsibilities to wider national concerns, with the elders presenting peace and unity as essential foundations for Kenya’s development.
The elders’ pledge to reach out to counterparts across the country is expected to widen the initiative into a broader inter-community dialogue, with the ultimate goal of promoting friendship, reconciliation and national unity.
The ceremony ended with prayers for the country’s current and future leadership, reflecting the elders’ call for stability and prosperity irrespective of political differences.
