Maa elder Maitai mourned, honoured in Narok, Kajiado

Leaders from Narok and Kajiado counties have joined Kenyans in mourning former national chairman of Maasai Council of Elders Mzee John Salimanai ole Maitai.

He died at the age of 90 at his Gilgil home on Sunday.

Maitai will be remembered for uniting the Maa Council of Elders and the community across the region, in neighbouring Tanzania, his son Emmanuel said.

“I recall my father for conducting key prayers in 2017 for Jubilee presidential aspirant Uhuru Kenyatta at Suswa holy grounds ahead of the general election. He shall be remembered as a unifying factor," Maitai said.

Ruth Nanyikae, his first wife who married hi in 1960, described him as hardworking, earning the appreciation affection of founding President Jomo Kenyatta.

His death was described as a big blow to the Maasai community by leaders headed by Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku, Narok county commissioner Isaac Masinde and the Maasai Council of Elders chairman Mzee Kelena ole Nchoe from Narok.

Lenku said Mzee Maitai is one of the heroes of community's unity having brought together elders from various regions.

“I witnessed him bless our leaders as he inculcated in them the need for unity,” Lenku said.

Maitai mobilised elders from across the Maa counties and urged them to have one point of contact with the national government as a bargaining tool for development.

“On this premise, that he embarked on a mission to identify who among the leaders could play this role and one day he broke to me the news that the elders had settled on me to be the Maa nation spokesman,” he said.

He once served as the executive secretary general of both Kadu and Kanu parties during the first Kenyatta and Moi regimes.

He was chairman of the Maasai Council of Elders during Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta's government.s

He handed the council's leadership to Nchoe.

Maitai is survived by two widows, Nanyikae and Mpaire, 18 children, 61 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, among others.

Burial plan plans are underway with committees in both Narok and Gilgil to accord hima befitting send off.

(Edited by V. Graham)