Nandi Elders on Sunday, June 7 responded to reports of sorcery after Deputy President William Ruto led a group of Jubilee leaders from the Rift Valley to a dawn meeting in Kapsisiywa.
The Elders led by Reverend James Bassy who is Chairman of the Talai Council of Elders denied the rumours flying around, asking for repentance on behalf on those peddling the sorcery reports.
"Let everyone know that the Talai are religious people, I am the chairman of the Talai community and I'm a reverend who has been an Anglican since 1953 up to date.
"What people are saying is their own opinion and we pray that God will forgive them," stated the chairman of the council of elders.
An elder from the council also denied practising sorcery explaining that the Friday, June 5 ritual was to bless the Deputy President.
"Our work mainly is to give the blessings we don't practice sorcery. Ours was to give the blessings and what we did on 5th was just to give the blessings to his Excellency Ruto.
"The blessings were so that he may have the power and the courage and wisdom to pursue the leadership of this country," explained the elder.
The DP’s entourage arrived at the home of Bassy on Friday and held three-hour talks with the elders from around 5 am to 8 am.
The Talai, descendants of legendary Nandi leader Koitalel Samoei, are highly respected and are known to offer blessings and guidance to people, including politicians, seeking or holding top positions.
Former President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi and powerful minister Nicholas Biwott (both deceased) were conferred the coveted traditional regalia, called ‘Sambut’, by the group.
When the Supreme Court nullified the presidential election results in 2017, President Kenyatta and DP Ruto visited Nandi Hills Museum, where the Talai performed rituals and blessed them to run again.
Bassy explained the rituals that took place, noting that it has been a trend since the colonial period and has been done on a number of leaders.
"On 5th was a continuation of what happened previously from 1962 when Kalenjins met in Kapkatet in Kericho and blessed Daniel Moi to be the leader of Kalenjin.
"William Ruto who is Uhuru's Deputy had an agreement that Uhuru will lead for 10 years and Ruto will then succeed him," revealed Bassy.
Nandi County Senator Samson Cherargei's accident fueled the sorcery allegations after it is reported that he had accompanied Ruto in the ceremony.
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