Ruto didn't undergo any night rituals in Nandi, Talai elders now say

Nandi elders have denied exposing Deputy President William Ruto to sacrifices, rituals or witchcraft in a bid to cleanse and protect him from harm and political miseries as he prepares to vie for the presidency in 2022.

Ruto’s visit to the revered Talai clan elders at Kapsisiywo on the dawn of last Friday sparked debate especially on social media as Kenyans discussed why the DP went for such a cultural event that was viewed as 'anti-Christian' and a desperate move by him.

But the elders led by Chairman of the Talai Council of Elders Reverend (Rtd) Canon James Baasi of the ACK church have come out to explain that the event was a  blessing ceremony for the DP and that no rituals were performed.

He said they were a highly religious unit that not engage in ungodly acts

The ceremony was conducted at the home of Reverend Baasi’s home,

Baasi told journalists that the brief prayer and blessing ceremony was done at 8 am and not at night as largely believed.

“I am a church leader as well as a clan elder. I was with five other church leaders along with less than 10 other elders and what we did was to bless the DP, pray for him and even gave him some honey, a bible and a book of hymns,” said Reverend Baasi.

He said the Bible was symbolic that Ruto had to always rely on God while the hymn book was to provide him with Songs he would sing to praise God.

“The honey we gave symbolizes sweetness. He should always speak out good words to unite all Kenyans,” said Baasi.

The reverend said that even in the Bible, Moses was handed over the leadership baton to lead the Israelites.

Deputy President William Ruto and Talai elders in Kipsirwo village, Nandi county, on Friday, June 5, 2020.
Image: COURTESY

“Leadership is derived from God and what we did was similar to what happened to the likes of Moses in the Bible,” he said.

Baasi said they now expect the DP to gun for the presidency.

He said the DP arrived early for the prayer and blessing ceremony because they wanted to comply with the government requirements to curb the spread of Covid-19 which prohibits large gatherings.

“Normally this event would have been done at an open stadium. But we had to ensure we finish it early because had residents known of it they would have come to witness and hence cause crowding which is prohibited at the moment,” Baasi explained.

Dressed in a blue blazer and khaki trousers, the DP and his political allies arrived early morning for the ceremony.

On arrival, Ruto was doused with milk and honey from a special traditional gourd by elders dressed in wild animal skins.

Baasi explained that there were no rituals or sacrifices at a hill near his home.

" What we did is fully godly and its wrong for anyone to try and taint what we did terming it as rituals,” said another elder Christopher Arap Agui who was also present.

The elders, popularly known as Orkoik. Others present during the visit by the DP included Lawrence Nganai and Stephen arap Tormoi.

During the event, Ruto was handed leadership instruments, including a baton (nogirwet) and a traditional stick (Siarit) said to have been used by legendary Nandi chief medicine man Orgoiyot-Kipnyolei arap Turgat.

Baasi explained that Ruto had emerged as the undisputed leader of the Kalenjin community following the death of Retired President Moi.

“We did the same to Moi in 1962 at Kapkatet grounds and even President Uhuru Kenyatta. The president during an event at Nandi Hills promised us and Kenyans that he would lead for ten years and then Ruto would succeed him. What we did was also in line with that and we highly respect and support Kenyatta,” said Agui.

The Talai elders ceremony also involves dressing of a person with a lion skin and handing him a Colobus Monkey cap as he sits on a special stool, one which was last used to crown President Kenyatta after the Supreme Court ordered a repeat of the 2017 presidential election.

Freedom fighter Koitalel Samoei, who is reported to have predicted the coming of the whites and the construction of the colonial railway, was also from the Talai clan.

The elders explained how Ruto had gone through various stages to emerge on his own as a leader for the community.

What we did to Ruto was final and no one would come again for the same as long as he is alive. What elders gave to legendary leader Koitalel Samoei as blessings are the same as what we gave Ruto here on Friday including the Sambut and Rungut.

Amos Korir, Talai clan elder.

Agui said on June 6, 2006, Ruto had been crowned as Kalenjin community leader during a declaration at Eldama Ravine town in Baringo witnessed by more than 26 MPs at that time.

Later in 2012 more than 20,000 people along with tens of political leaders witnessed as Ruto was further crowned by elders from all Kalenjin sub-tribes during a ceremony at the Eldoret sports club.

“It’s with this background and the death of Moi that as elders we wait for more than 40 days after his burial to carry on with the leadership succession in our community by handing over the leadership baton to Ruto,” Reverend Baasi said.

The same elders had given the late Moi the famous rungu that highlighted his 24-year rule.

The rungu was passed to Moi's eldest (after Jonathan passed on) son Raymond Moi, who subsequently handed it to Kanu chairman Gideon Moi during their father's burial in what symbolised the handover of the reins of power.

But Baasi explained that what happened during Moi’s burial was a family event and not a community ceremony.

He said as elders they could not hand over a leadership baton before Mzee Moi was buried and before the expiry of 40 days as demanded by tradition.

“So that was a family event and that is why it was Raymond handing over to Gideon. If was for the community the elders would have done it after 40 days,” said Agui.

He said as long as DP Ruto is alive no other leader from the community would be given the same blessings as Ruto because the DP was now officially declared as the Kalenjin leader and spokesman.

“He now has powers to go out and hunt for the prize with the blessings of the community,” said former MCA Amos Korir who is also a Talai clan elder.

He said the event was significant because the Kalenjin now recognize Ruto as their leader noting that the cultural blessings in the Talai or Nandi community date back to 1860.

He said after Moi no one had been blessed by the Talai clan.

“Now that the DP is going for leadership and that is known all over, it was imperative that he gets the blessings of a recognized organ of the Kalenjin community which is the Talai clan of Nandi. What we did is approved by the Talai council, the Nandi and Kalenjin community,” said Korir.

Korir said by promising that Ruto would take over from him, Uhuru had equally endorsed Ruto’s leadership.

Ruto drove himself to the ceremony accompanied by Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, his Uasin Gishu counterpart Jackson Mandago, Senator for Nandi Samson Cherargei and Soy MP Caleb Kositany. 

Others present were Cornely Serem (Aldai), Wilson Kogo (Chesumei), area MCA Pius Sing’oei Sang.

Sang said the Talai clan did not create Ruto to be a leader but only blessed him. “Within the Kalenjin a leader emerges and cannot be created. The elders only bless the leader who has emerged and in this case, the elders felt the DP had emerged on his own to lead,” said Sang.