Kikuyu council of elders announces return of rite of passage for boys
Central
By
Antony Gitonga
| Oct 02, 2025
The Kikuyu Council of Elders has announced the resumption of the annual rite of passage for boys after a one-year delay occasioned by the transition in the new education system last year.
The council, through the national office, has termed the exercise that kicks off once students close schools as critical for the community, as it would herald a new age-set after a one-year lapse.
This came as the elders, through ‘Kiama Kia Maa’ reiterated that it did not have a fight with the church over the initiation but was quick to note that this was a cultural event and not a religious one.
According to the Director of Culture in the community Kigochi Waimiri, the exercise was postponed last year to give students a chance to transit from Grade eight to nine.
He added that the elders were ready for the exercise and would mentor the minors in the wake of an increase in alcohol and drug abuse in the country.
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“Last year we postponed the exercise due to the education transition but this time we are ready for the rite of passage and the mentorship programme,” he said.
Speaking at the community’s cultural home in Naivasha, Kigochi took issue with some churches that were conducting the ceremony, which, according to him, was entirely cultural.
“We do not have any fight with the church but under the Kikuyu customs, the initiation ceremony was supposed to be carried out by the elders and not the church,”
“In the period that the boys will be going through the rite of passage, they are not supposed to see any woman but this has been the norm when the church takes over and it’s a taboo,” he said.
On his part, the Council national chairman, Ndungu Wa Gaithuma said that the elders had been engaging since June on the new names for the boys.
He called on families to support the cultural activity as it had a major role in the transformation of boys to men through learning, counseling and mentorship.
“As a community, we have enough food to feed the boys and all that we are calling for is support from the parents, the community and national government,” he said.
The Council Secretary-General Engineer Patrick Muiru said that the new age set would be named ‘Grade-nine’ as they were the new lot under the new education system.
“We are grateful for the role that the church has played in mentoring our boys, but we want to emphasize that this initiation ceremony is a cultural event and not a religious one,” he said.