Leaders in Nakuru County have been advised to respect their elders to avoid a leadership crisis in future.
According to the Kikuyu Council of Elders Nakuru chapter, some people were rising to leadership positions using influence and money, something they say spells doom for the coming generations.
Addressing a press conference in Nakuru town on Saturday, the elders cited the rot being witnessed in society as consequences of leaders who lack respect and mentorship from people with life experience.
Mzee Geoffrey Kabage who spoke after officiating a ceremony that saw the Transition Authority chair Kinuthia Wa Mwangi installed as an elder said there is a calibre of leaders who are out to fulfill their personal interests at the expense of the people who voted them in.
“From time immemorial, elders have had their undisputed place in our African cultures that were respected at all times, it’s interesting how our young boys are treating their pioneers like any other person,” he said.
The old man noted that working with leaders at the community level including community councils of elders was the surest way of ensuring that the devolved systems of government prosper.
“As keepers of community secrets, myths and cultures, leaders need to respect our decisions because at times we always focus on the future before taking our stand,” he said.
The Transition Authority boss was blessed before being given the go ahead of participating in all of the community’s cultural functions but was tasked to use his new status to advise young leaders to always respect the elderly.