Kiama Kia Ma elders have raised alarm over the escalating cases of harassment and torture of fresh initiates by rogue culprits.
Addressing the issue during the pass-out ceremony of 240 initiates supervised by elders in Gathage village, Gatundu South, Captain Kung’u Muigai, the Patron of the Kikuyu Council of Elders, expressed deep concern that boys, having undergone the traditional rite of passage, are now facing torment from young men.
“These perpetrators subject the initiates to beatings, immoral teachings, and coerce them into indulging in drugs and alcohol,” he lamented.
Additionally, Kung’u called upon authorities to take decisive action against the culprits, emphasizing that some cases of harassment have resulted in fatal outcomes.
He further noted that just last month, a 13-year-old boy was fatally beaten by his peers in Molo, Nakuru County, purportedly for undergoing circumcision in a church.
“We have reached out to the authorities, including chiefs and their assistants, to ensure that any culprit who harasses or tortures the initiates is punished accordingly. Parents must also be vigilant in protecting their children from these bullies,” Kung’u asserted.
He highlighted that the initiates have undergone mentorship from elders and professionals on leading decent lives post-rite of passage.
“This includes teachings against immorality, drugs, and alcoholism,” the captain stated.
He additionally emphasized the importance of instilling cultural values, discouraging behaviors like plaiting hair, body piercing, or nail painting.
Calling on parents, particularly fathers, to fulfill their parental responsibilities, Kung’u noted that some men have become absentee fathers, contributing to the erosion of their children’s behavior.
Kiama Kia Ma Chairman Shamte Munyua echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the elders’ commitment to providing cultural education to teenagers in Kiambu County to steer them away from immorality and antisocial behaviors.
Munyua dispelled rumors of divisions within the Kiama Kia Ma council of elders, attributing such claims to outlawed sects in the region.
Parents, including Apostle Carol Wangechi and Ndiang’ui Gitonga, concurred, stressing the importance of imparting cultural knowledge to guide the younger generation toward becoming morally upright and productive community members.
By Kamau Njoroge
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