Kikuyu Elders Perform Special Ritual to Drive Away Covid-19 from Kenya

Elders drawn from the Kikuyu community have performed a special ritual in a bid to save the country from the raging Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday, May 1st, the elders converged at the sacred meeting point of the Agikuyu near River Chania in Thika, Kiambu County to conduct the ritual similar to that practiced by their ancestors whenever community was attacked by plagues.

The ritual involved slaughtering a spotless goat and burning its meat to ashes as the elders made prayers while facing Mt. Kenya.

Elders are required to cleanse themselves first and fast for seven days for the ritual to be accepted. They must also avoid sleeping on the same bed or make love with their wives a week prior to the ritual.

The Friday’s ritual was presided over by the reigning Agikuyu king (Muthamaki) Njoroge Karatu, who was installed in 2017.

“It’s hard to compel such elders to conduct such a ceremony nowadays because most of them are either ill or incapacitated to move. We have however conducted the ceremony in absolute compliance with the traditions and we hope that God will hear our cry,” said Karatu.

After the slaughtering, the elders threw the goat’s blood, decorations, and pancreas into the river to signify how the virus will leave the country. 

“This virus is not local and it was not manufactured here. We have thrown the excretions and the blood that spilled during the slaughtering to the river for it to flow downstream to the Indian Ocean,” added Karatu.

The elders then burnt the goat’s meat to ashes and emptied the remains into River Chania as they ordered the disease to return to the sender.

“As we burnt the meat, the smoke that rose up to the skies was indicative that our God has accepted our offering and heard our prayers. Therefore, we are optimistic and hopeful that through this submission, the virus will be gone,” he said.

Further to this, the elders poured a concoction made from fresh milk and honey to the river. A mixture of grounded sorghum, millet, and black beans were also dispensed into the river to display confidence that the epidemic will disappear from the nation.

Other elders present during the ceremony included Chege Gathu and Ng’ang’a Kimuyu, among others.