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Outrage as PCEA Church Bans Kikuyu Traditional Practice "Mburi Cia
Kiama"
By John Wanjohi Fri, 05/25/2018 @ 07:54am 2681 views 27 comments
https://t.co/EiWFBmbEhS
The decision by the leadership of the Presbyterian Church of East
Africa (PCEA) to ban a Kikuyu traditional practice has angered members
of the community's Council of Elders.
In a statement, PCEA Church said it has banned its followers from
taking part in one of Kikuyu community's popular rite known as “Mburi
cia Kiama.”
"Mburi cia Kiama" involves slaughtering of goats in fetes where
ordinary men from the community are ushered into leadership. During
such events, the Kiama (made of elders) offers advice to men on
several matters including the Kikuyu culture, marriage and family and
community responsibilities.
The ceremony also involve drinking traditional brew known as
"Muratina" which the church feels is highly unethical. The Church's
leadership arrived at the decision during a general assembly meeting
held between April 11th and 14th and was announced in the churches
during Sunday services in the weeks that followed.
“The highest body in PCEA church has distanced itself from Mburi Cia
Kiama, terming it a negative cultural practice, among other practices
like polygamy, female circumcision and witchcraft," read a Facebook
post associated with the church as quoted by Daily Nation.
However, Elders drawn from the Community have expressed their
discontentment with the orders by the church, terming them a personal
attack. Muthoga Kirethi, who is the chairman of Nyeri Kikuyu Council
of Elders, termed the ban as unwarranted and misguided.
“That is unwarranted and misguided. We do not rival the church by
embracing our culture. In fact, we were born Kikuyu first before we
joined the mainstream churches. People can opt to leave a church but
you can never stop being Kikuyu,” said Kirethi.
Source:
https://t.co/EiWFBmbEhS
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