GITHUNGURI, Kenya- A group of Kikuyu elders on Saturday carried out a traditional ritual in Githunguri, Kiambu County, amid a tense standoff over a disputed parcel of land earmarked for development.
The elders, drawn from the Kikuyu Council of Elders, performed the ceremony at the centre of the contested area, insisting the land holds deep historical and cultural significance tied to the Mau Mau struggle and ancestral heritage.
During the ritual, the elders conducted prayers and traditional rites, warning against any interference with what they described as sacred community land.
The gathering briefly attracted residents and supporters who joined in the emotionally charged event.
The ceremony comes amid ongoing disputes over the 58-acre parcel, with elders opposing government-backed development plans, including an affordable housing project in the area.
Security officers were deployed in the area to maintain order as tensions escalated, with reports of earlier confrontations during similar gatherings in the same locality.
The elders maintained that their actions were not political but cultural, aimed at protecting ancestral land and preserving the community’s heritage.
Authorities have urged calm as discussions continue over the future use of the contested land.
