A weekend truce between feuding Talai elders in the Rift Valley has ended 50 years of rivalry and claims that the spiritual elders had commercialized coronation ceremonies.
Talai elders, who are the descendants of Nandi's legendary spiritual leader, Koitaleel Samoei, have now agreed to coordinate and clear the crowning procedures of aspirants and joint ceremonies going forward, in which they will all be involved.
“We have for long never had a clear crowning procedure. What happened is that each group crowned his affiliates or friends, but going forward, there will be a coordinated system of coronation by all Talai elders," said the elders’ council national Chairman, Rev Cannon James Bassy Kosgei, after the reconciliation. Rev Bassy led one of the factions.
The Talai Council of Elders is a respected organ among the Kalenjin community and has crowned Kenya’s top leadership, including founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, the late Daniel Arap Moi, the late Mwai Kibaki, Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, and current President William Ruto.
Other respected leaders who have previously received their blessings are the country’s first Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and his son, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Leader Mr Raila Odinga.
The elders have, however, suffered leadership and cultural divisions spanning the last four decades, with the splinter groups conducting separate coronation ceremonies for aspirants seeking their blessings for elective positions, especially during the electioneering periods, widening their split.
For the first time since 1974, the two factions of elders shook hands at a reconciliation meeting in Nandi County on Saturday, marking their new beginning as one following long-standing divisions that have seen them work as rivals.
At the truce weekend meeting dubbed the ‘Nandi Hills Declaration, the elders resolved to hold joint consultative forums going forward before performing coronation ceremonies.
“We have resolved to bury our differences, and all elders will be consulted before any coronation event is performed,” said former Vice Chairman Christopher Koyogi.
Rev. Canon, James Bassy Kosgei (right), Chairman of Talai Council of Elders, former Vice Chairman of Talai Council of Elders Christopher Koyogi (left), and other elders in the Talai Council of Elders from the Kalenjin community.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
The Talai clan of the Nandi, Kipsigis, and Tugen has long been feared by the rest of the community and has unique spiritual recognition among the Kalenjin community.
However, Talai elders had been divided along political affiliations, with one faction led by council national Chairman Rev Cannon James Bassy Kosgei leaning towards President Ruto, while the rival group led by Mr Koyogi supported Mr Odinga and Kanu party leader Gideon Moi.
The blessing and crowning of President Ruto by the Talai elders played a key role in making him a Kalenjin kingpin and succeeding his predecessor, President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a controversy that has persisted for the last about 50 years, the elders have been divided into five factions of the five sub-clans, namely the Kapturgat, Kapsogon, Kapchesang, Kapmararsoi, and Kapsonet.
There has, also, long existed a dispute over who the clan spokesperson was, which was resolved by the splinter groups at the Saturday reconciliation meeting dubbed the ‘Nandi Hills Declaration,’ where they agreed to champion the interests of the clan as one.
"We have for long never had a clear crowning procedure. What happened is that each group crowned his affiliates or friends, but going forward, there will be a coordinated system of coronation by all Talai elders," Rev Bassy said after the reconciliation.
"As Talai, we are a respected clan and we will not allow divisions to ruin our game," said Noah Kosgei, one of the elders.
Talai’s Nandi Hills Declaration: Rev. Canon, James Bassy Kosgei (right), Chairman of Talai Council of Elders, former Vice Chairman of Talai Council of Elders Christopher Koyogi (left), and other elders in the Talai Council of Elders from the Kalenjin community.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
The spiritual leaders are now calling for the inclusion of all seasoned Kalenjin leaders in President Ruto's broad-based government for the sake of unity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
"We want to have all our leaders in the government. It is our appeal to see Gideon Moi, Henry Kosgei, Kipruto Kirwa, Stephen Tarus, and Sally Kosgey, among others accommodated in this government," appealed Mr Koyogi, whose faction supported the Azimio coalition in the 2022 General Election.
“We resolve to work together in addressing leadership and historical injustices facing our clan and the rest of the community,” said Rev. Bassy after the day-long, weekend closed-door meeting.
The meeting was held at Dr David Muge’s home in Nandi Hills and attended by representatives of the five sub-clans.
“We have developed a calendar of events, and going forward, we shall be conducting our activities, including coronation ceremonies, jointly as the Talai clan elders,” added Rev Bassy.
He explained that the community’s leadership regalia is sacred and elders will adhere to due procedures in offering spiritual blessings and performing crowning events.
“We are going to have a harmonized system of offering blessings and how the treasures can be handed over from one leader to the next,” said Mr Koyogi.
The traditional possessions handed by the elders during coronations include the Sambut, which is for inclusive leadership, the Kuutwet and rungut for authority, and the sharit for guidance.
Culturally, no one can claim the treasures handed over to a leader during coronation until he completes his term.
The divisions among the elders emanated from claims that some were abusing their titles to enrich themselves.
“Some of the elders engaged in political sycophancy instead of adhering to the cultural protocols of the clan to perform coronation ceremonies for personal gains,” said one of the elders, who requested not to be named.
Talai’s Nandi Hills Declaration: Rev. Canon, James Bassy Kosgei (right), Chairman of Talai Council of Elders, former Vice Chairman of Talai Council of Elders Christopher Koyogi (left), and other elders in the Talai Council of Elders from the Kalenjin community.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
During their reconciliation meeting, the elders appealed to Kanu Chairman and former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi to strike a political deal with President William Ruto ‘for the sake of the Kalenjin unity.’
“We want all Kalenjin leaders, including former Senator Moi, to be in the government and work with President Ruto to strengthen the unity of our Kalenjin community,” appealed Mr Koyogi.
The younger Moi has consistently ruled out any chance for political cooperation with the Kenya Kwanza administration under President Ruto.
Samoei, the legendary Nandi leader, was shot dead in October 1905 by Col Meinertzhagen at Ketbarak near Nandi Hills after leading a seven-year rebellion against British colonialists.
