Maasai Council of elders have denied claims being circulated in the social media that they have opposed new currency coins launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday.
National organising secretary Hassan ole Kamwaro said they wondered why few people are misleading the country to portray that the community as opposing government projects.
He told the Star on Friday that they are supporting the government on the change of currency and that they will not allow some few individuals to push their selfish agenda.
"On behalf of the elders, we support the government's move on the new currency. The report saying we are opposed to the development is not true. The move has been there for long and who are we to oppose the government plan."
Kamwaro added that the article is malicious and aims to taint the image of the elders and wants to undermine the close working relationships with the government.
"As the Maasai community, we treasure these animals so much because we have lived with them for long. There is no problem in putting it on the currency and such symbols have been in the national government court of arms," he said.
He said that the government made the right decision to put wild animals in the currency saying it will market Kenya as a tourism destination.
"This is a brilliant idea and they should also extend the same to new generation currency notes,” the elders said.
The article purported that the Maasai community asked the government to halt the use of the new currency for being discriminatory and unfair.
While launching the new coins, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that the move is a major milestone in the country’s history and in fulfillment of the Constitutional requirements.
The Constitution, as promulgated in 2010, banned the use of portraits of people in currencies.
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