NAIVASHA, Kenya – The Kikuyu Council of Elders has announced the resumption of its annual initiation ceremony for boys, ending a one-year break caused by the country’s transition to the new education system.
The cultural rite of passage, which is expected to begin once schools close later this year, will usher in a new age-set after the interruption in 2024.
Speaking at the council’s cultural home in Naivasha, the Director of Culture, Kigochi Waimiri, said the postponement was necessary to give students time to adjust from Grade 8 to Grade 9 under the Competency-Based Curriculum.
“Last year we postponed the exercise due to the education transition, but this time we are fully ready for both the rite of passage and the mentorship programme,” Waimiri said.
He noted that the elders would focus on counseling and mentoring boys against the rising tide of alcohol and drug abuse.
The elders, under the umbrella Kiama Kia Maa, stressed that the ceremony is strictly a cultural event, not a religious one, amid growing debate over the role of churches in conducting initiations.
“We do not have any fight with the church, but under Kikuyu customs, initiation is carried out by elders, not the clergy,” Waimiri said, adding that some church-led practices conflicted with traditional taboos.
Council national chairman Ndung’u Wa Gaithuma said the elders had been meeting since June to deliberate on the new names for initiates, urging families to rally behind the cultural practice.
“As a community we have enough food and resources to support the boys. What we are calling for is support from parents, the wider community, and even the national government,” Gaithuma said.
The Council’s Secretary-General, Engineer Patrick Muiru, revealed that the new age-set would be called “Grade Nine”—a reflection of the current education structure.
“We appreciate the mentorship role played by the church, but this rite remains a cultural ceremony,” Muiru emphasized.
The elders said this year’s initiation would mark the formal transition of a new generation into adulthood, complete with cultural training, guidance and naming, in line with long-standing Kikuyu tradition.
