Members of the Mijikenda community at the coast region are in confusion following opposing directives over the celebrations and honouring of the Mijikenda heroine, Mekatilili wa Menza.
The opposing announcements about the place to conduct the celebrations suggest a looming division in the Kaya leadership.
The two rival groups, Magarini Culture Association led by Tsuma Nzai and Malindi District Cultural Association (MADICA) led by Emmanuel Munyaya, are condemning each other with a day left to the celebrations.
According to the Magarini Culture Association, the celebrations should be held at Bungale in Magarini sub-county where Mekatilili was laid to rest.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday at Gongoni in Magarini sub-county, Nzai said that for years, the celebration had been held at the heroine’s tomb, which he said is per the Mijikenda culture and norms that state celebrations and prayers for legends be held where they were laid to rest.
"Our MADICA friends are misleading the Mijikenda community, they are politicizing the celebrations, and want to shift them to a place they call Shakahola. Such a move is uncalled for, and we shall not allow that" Nzai added.
He faulted the stand by Munyaya-led group that directed the celebrations be held where Mekatili showed her historic and unwavering courage by confronting and slapping a white man, which was at Shakahola, partly in Malindi sub-county.
He added: “Mijikendas are going to celebrate how their heroine lived to fight for the independence of the country and not how she slapped a white man.”
On his part, Munyaya rubbished the statements by the Magarini Culture Association group, reiterating that the celebrations will not be held at Bungale; instead, they will be held at Shakahola.
According to Munyaya, preparations are underway, adding that visitors have already booked to honour the celebrations.
"No one will block us from celebrating our heroine. We have been conducting these events before, and the place has been Shakahola," said Munyaya.
He contended that the Kaya elders opposing the celebrations from being held at Shakahola do not represent Mijikendas and are doing it for their selfish gain.
"We are aware that greedy has rocked into the hearts of some Kaya elders who have been sponsored to conduct another event of our heroine somewhere else. We are the genuine planners, and we will go ahead and mark the celebrations," stated Munyaya.
The Magarini Culture Association group called upon its rival, MADICA to abandon its parallel plans of heading to Shakahola and join hands and embrace unity as the celebrations are set for one heroine.
The celebrations, according to MADICA, will start on August 9 in Malindi and end on August 13 at Shakahola.
The Magarini Culture Association, on the other hand, will start the celebrations on August 10 where they will walk hundreds of kilometres to Bungale where they will reach a climax on August 13.
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