The Mijikenda community has for more than 20 years been demanding for the return of their artifacts, locally known as vigago, from foreign countries.
According to the community, the artifacts are very important to the nine tribes of the Mijikenda, as they represent their ancestors.
Speaking during a cultural forum held in Mombasa on Friday, scholars from Pwani University said they are pushing for the return of the remaining artifacts that are being held in foreign countries.
Dr Tsawe Munga, a lecturer at the university, said they met President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss the matter, but they are yet to receive any assistance.
“We will continue pushing the government of Kenya to assist us in the matter. We want the artifacts back in our hands so as to save our community,” he said.
It is believed that the artifacts were stolen by a section of youth who later sold them to foreign tourists at an unknown price.
Dr Munga said it was wrong to uproot and sell the vigango, adding that the move has affected the whole community as it offended the spirits of the ancestors, who now cause misfortune to the people.
He added that the community is not allowed to curve new artifacts until the stolen ones are recovered.
It is believed that most of the sculptures are preserved at different museums in America and other foreign nations.
The lecturer promised to mobilise scholars from the region in a bid to write a letter to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), asking them to intervene in the matter.
In 2014, 30 artifacts were returned to Kenya following a repatriation ceremony in Denver, Colorado in America.
Leaders from the Mijikenda community insist the sculptures were stolen, while American antique collectors have maintained that they bought them from willing sellers.
However, the Denver Museum in America said in a statement four years ago, it was willing to return the artifacts, but faced challenges as the original owners were unknown.