Mijikenda Kaya elders from the Coast have formed a unity association.
The Kaya Elders Association (KEA) wants to identify and solve problems facing each community.
On Saturday, the association rolled out community engagement forums to popularise KEA.
Coordinator Tsuma Nzai from the Giriama community said the elders will visit the nine subtribes of the Mijikenda in their Kayas.
They will discuss the importance of working together and weed out quack Kaya elders.
The forums is in preparation of the Chenda Chenda- a meeting of the mijikenda to be marked annually on September 9.
“We have started in Jibana and we will move to Kambe, Kauma, Duruma, Chonyi, Rabai, Digo, Giriama and Ribe,” Nzai said.
KEA secretary general Willy Tsuma from Rabai said the group will foster good leadership and how politicians can work together to spur development.
“Politicians are our sons and daughters. They did not come from outer space. They are members of the community. We want to involve them so they understand the region’s problem,” he said.
Mwinyi Mwalimu from Kaya Chonda in Digo said Kaya elders from the Mijikenda community have in the past supported politicians who later turned against the community.
“Most political leaders rush to us for blessings which we give them. We expect such leaders to offer solutions to the community but that is not always the case,” Mwalimu said.
