Nchuri Ncheke want CJ Mutunga to vet elders

THE defunct Njuri Ncheke Council of elders has called on Chief Justice Willy Mutunga to change his earlier decision of empowering the Njuri Ncheke to preside over land disputes in Meru community. Led by their chairman Stephen Thienkei, the elders said the decision arrived at was not inclusive of elders from all regions of the Meru community.

The elders said vetting of elders to preside over land matters and disputes should be done to weed out imposters. “Vetting must be done which will bring together all the elders at our Nchiru headquarters shrine. We require fully graduated elders who know how to determine cases,” Thienkei said. He disputed claims by the Paul M’Ithinkia led council that they are the legal council of elders saying the council does not require registration and those who registered it are a group of self seekers. “Those who went to the CJ did not seek permission from the elders but did so independently,” he said.

Two months ago Chief Justice Willy Mutunga met the council of elders and gave them the mandate to preside over land disputes in the Meru community. The group urged presidential aspirants to consider choosing leaders from Meru to take up offices at their secretariats as was done by Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he accepted Gitobu Imanyara as the deputy patron of Friends for Raila. They said this will give the region and opportunity to realise its governance potential.