Chinese Contractor Seeks Kikuyu Elders' Help to Uproot a ‘Mugumo’ Tree Hindering Construction of Sh14 Billion Highway

Kikuyu elders have conducted a special ritual in Sagana, Kirinyaga County to allow the uprooting of a fig tree that was hindering the construction of a highway.

A Chinese company that is building the Kenol-Sagana-Marwa dual carriageway was forced to seek the elders’ intervention after several attempts to cut down the tree failed.

Area residents insisted that the contractor must seek the indulgence of the elders before uprooting the tree that has a sacred significance among the Agikuyu community.

On Monday, the Kirinyaga Council of Elders embarked on a cleansing ceremony to appease the gods to allow the felling of the tree, which is commonly known as Mugumo. The area around the tree was used as a place of worship.

Led by the council’s acting Chairman Harrison Ndambiri, the elders slaughtered two rams, including one that is unblemished. The unblemished ram is burned to ashes while the other is consumed by the elders.

Ndambiri said the ceremony was meant to appease forefathers and allow the construction work to proceed uninterrupted.

The elders also sprinkled the area with a ram’s blood and planted three trees beside the area, which they said would replace the shrine.

Elder Joseph Muriithi said the fact that smoke went straight up before circling the trees signified that the gods approved of the construction.

He indicated that the shrine has been in existence for over 600 years, adding that tales are told of people who were attacked by the gods for interfering with it.

The 84-kilometer Kenol-Sagana-Marwa dual carriage is being constructed at a cost of Sh14 billion.

The highway is expected to ease transportation and reduce traffic along the section of the road. It will be completed in June 2022 and will link the Northern Corridor from Nairobi to the Lapsset Corridor in Isiolo.