A 70-year-old Gatundu man was this week circumcised by elders moments before his burial after it was discovered that he had never undergone the rite of passage.
The incident happened at the Gatundu Hospital mortuary, where family members, friends and elders had gone to collect the body for burial.
Mortuary attendants notified the elders that the man, who was a revered elder, was not circumcised.
“We could not bury him like that as it is against our practice. He has even brought two goats to the council for him to be admitted at the council but this has come as a surprise for all of us,” said one of the elders as quoted by K24.
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According to fellow elders, the man had also gone through all the stages that an elder is supposed to undergo for him to be accepted in the council.
A cleansing rite was also recommended for the council of elders since it is taboo for an elder to be accepted in the council without being circumcised.
Also, in the future, men joining the council could be scrutinised to avoid such an ’embarrassment’.
“This should serve as a wake-up call for elders as we have to find a way of checking that those who want to join have undergone this right of passage,” added another.
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