Kiambu county commissioner Joshua Nkanatha has banned illegal religious sects operating in the county.
He said such sects have been advocating female genital mutilation, among other retrogressive practices, and they have no place in the county.
Nkanatha was speaking in his office in Kiambu town on Friday when Kiama Kia Ma cultural pillar of the Kikuyu Council of Elders visited him.
The elders were led by their patron Kungu Muigai, who is also the chairman of the Kenya cultural centre board, and county chairman of Kiama Kia Ma Shamte Munyua.
"We have banned all illegal religions in the county. The police are on the lookout for any illegal groupings gathering in the name of religion," Nkanatha said.
The county commissioner singled out the fast-growing sect in the county dubbed 'Gwata Ndai' that is said to have brainwashed its members into carrying out FGM.
"We will not allow Gwata Ndai operate in Kiambu county. We have agreed with the Kikuyu council of elders that we will not allow the law to be broken. The law has refused and the elders have refused," Nkanatha said.
He said two people died in Githunguri after a man allegedly killed his mother by throwing her into a borehole and later threw himself inside the same borehole. Nkanatha said the man wanted his mother to be circumcised as "per the beliefs of Gwata Ndai".
He said other banned religions include Nyumba ya Mumbi and Kenda Muihuru, which have no operating licences.
Kungu said they have agreed with elders in all villages to partner with the government security agencies to flush out illegal sect members who have been disguising themselves as Kikuyu elders.
"We know these people because they are with us in the villages. As elders, we will help the government to identify illegal sect members as they have been tarnishing the name of Kiama Kia Ma elders," he said.
Kungu said Kiama Kia Ma elders are known by the government through the chiefs and are legally registered.
"The illegal sect members have been disguising themselves by putting on the Kiama kia Ma regalia so that they can continue to propel their activities. The Kiama Kia Ma elders are well-known as we are registered and we do not engage in FGM or any other illegal practices," he said.
Munyua warned the community not to be introduced into retrogressive religions.
"We want the elders and the church to denounce the illegal sects that are penetrating in our villages. We have seen more people being misled by these groupings," Munyua said.
