National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi’s coronation as Mt Kenya spokesperson is underway at the Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga shrine.
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, his Tharaka Nithi counterpart Muthomi Njuki and Embu Governor Martin Wambora have endorsed Muturi’s coronation.
Muturi’s enthroning has caused debate and rubbed many the wrong way with leaders from Mt Kenya and Rift Valley claiming the shrine is a holy ground and not a political field.
As the series of traditional practices are carried out to crown Muturi, heavy police presence has been witnessed at the shrine.
“The proposed candidate for spokesman of Mt Kenya region inside the shrine. Elders from all regions in Mt Kenya came here today to witness the making of Muturi as the spokesman of the Mt Kenya region,” one of the elders said.
“In the shrine, the top most elders of Kikuyu are called Maturagu. They are holding a prayer for Mr Muturi and also blessing him because the journey he is about to take is a tough one,” the elder added.
A section of leaders from Mt Kenya including Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, her Nakuru counterpart Lee Kinyanjui and Muranga’s Mwangi wa Iria were opposed to the swearing-in.
A visibly furious Wa Iria argued that neither President Uhuru Kenyatta nor Mwai Kibaki were coronated at the historical Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga.
“It’s written nowhere within our history that the first President of the Republic of Kenya Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was coronated at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga,” the governor argued.
In a heated tirade, Wa Iria swore that he shall not let the Saturday, May 22 coronation go on as planned.