Tugen Council of Elders' role in Communal Governance

BY KIPKEMOI ARAAP KORIR

The Tugen Territorial organization was related to age organization traditionally, and councils of elders are still important in local administration.

The largest traditionally autonomous territorial unit of the Tugen was termed Pororiet (pl., Pororiosek ), which British colonial administrators translated as 'location'.

Locations or Pororiosek are still local administrative units in independent Kenya. Informants said the British changed the boundaries in a few cases, and then only slightly, and retained the traditional names.

The British also fixed the boundary of the 'tribal territory' (Emet) as they found it on their arrival, and thus prevented the creation, with the growth of the population, of new Pororiosek on the edges of Tugen territory.

Prior to the colonial era boundaries were determined by customary preferences, demographic conditions, and the political realities of inter-tribal relations, and not by an imposed imperial force.

A consequence of this tribal containment policy was that population density began to increase in traditional locations beyond customary capacity.

As might be gathered from this, the label 'Tugen' in pre-colonial times designated the people of a region. But it had no political-administrative significance, since Tugen locations bordered on Nandi locations near lembus, and relationships between them did not differ from relationships between those within the Tugen area itself.

The British stopped this, and by demarcating administrative boundaries, gave a definiteness to larger Kalenjin regional segments than they had ever had in the past.

In this way the notion 'tribe' came into being.

Each location had a council of elders which was itself called Pororiet, headed by a prominent elder ( kirwogin), a pororiet council was composed of elders (poiyot, poisiek) representing the constituent patricians (oret, ortinwek).

The kirwogin had no authority to lead; he gained this status by force of personality, his ability to reconcile conflicting parties, and his eloquence and generosity.

Authority was vested in the council, never in an individual no matter how much he was respected.

The pororiet council advised raiding parties of pororiet warriors and blessed them, but only if they felt that the venture was sensible and auspicious. Pororiet elders disciplined the warriors through the threat of their curse, the reverse of their power to bless, which they had, and are still believed to have by virtue of their status as elders. But they were not always successful in restraining warriors from military ventures they felt were foolhardy.

Disputes among members of constituent clans and cases of wrong-doing were tried by the Pororiet council, and still are, unless they are of a serious criminal nature, or defy resolution on the location level, in which instance cases go to a government court.

The Poisiek hold a preliminary hearing on the issue, even if it must go to a government court. Cases involving more than one location were heard by the relevant councils together.

Pororiet elders were, and are today as far as non- Christians are concerned, also responsible for the spiritual well-being of their location.

Hence they conducted periodic prayers and sacrifices of stock to the diety to obtain his blessing, particularly for abundance of the next harvest, and for their own fertility and that of their stock and still does, community work by directing people, particularly groups of warriors, to keep paths clear and make new ones, to maintain and build bridges over streams, and the like.

For services rendered, such as blessings and completion of rituals, it is customary to give a gift of stock for a feast, or beer, or both, the amount varying with the service and circumstances. Fines were imposed on wrongdoers, whether individuals or a warrior age-set, and paid to the council in stock.

A gift of stock and beer was also necessary for the removal of a curse. The judgements of the pororiet council were enforced by the warriors of the location, so that the elders had the sanction, not only( of their curse, but also of punishment).

Each location comprised several smaller ’neighbourhoods’ ( kokwet, kokwetinwek), each with its own council of elders, also called kokwet. My informants were vague about the boundaries of their neighbourhoods.

Furthermore, although two people of the same patri-clan will say that members of their clan resident in the clan area ( koret) , and wives of clansmen, are bikap kokwet (’people of the neighbourhood’), they will not necessarily include all of the same people who are not resident in the clan area proper.

This difference arises largely because they live in different parts of their clan area, and naturally have different neighbours, outside of koret residents.

The kokwet council for any Tugen is primarily the elders of the clan, or the elders of the husband's clan for a married woman, together with other elders of neighbouring clans of the location who may be present at the time.

The composition of a kokwet council is not likely to be exactly the same from one meeting to the next. The role of this lower-level, local council for the neighbourhood is essentially the same as the role of the pororiet council for the location.

Litigation they may hear are cases and disputes within the neighbourhood. Their decisions cannot be appealed on the level of the pororiet council. However, if the kokwet council is unable to resolve the case, or if one party requests that the case be tried by the pororiet council, then this takes place.

Although administrative chiefs and courts, backed up by a police-force which elders cannot command, have greatly curbed their authority, the elders still command respect ( konyit). A good example of this attitude occurred when I was talking with a group of young men in a local bar. One of them noticed an elder approaching and said to me, "Things will be well now, here comes an elder of the kokwet."

Tugen Council of Elders-MYOOT Cluster Tugen Council of elders is organized in six tiers; Branch, Sub-branch, Ward, Location, Sub-location and diaspora.

Role in Governance

1. To uphold the values of the Community in promoting good governance and hold the civic leaders to account.

2. Provide checks and balances in communal affairs; primarily as custodians of moral values

3. Source of information/reference on matters background of development and guidance in decision making

4. Provide guidance, inspiration, advice and direction to the Tugen Community in the appreciation and enjoyment of their culture, traditions and customs and provide opportunity to every member to exploit their God-given talent singly or collectively

5. To reactivate and promote the relevant cultures and customs of the Community.

6. To provide peaceful coexistence with all neighbours on the tenets of mutual respect and similar aspirations.

7. Ensure prudent use of land and natural resources of the community and discourage unscrupulous disposal and misuse of the same.

Current leaders:

Reverend Wilson Sambo-Koibatek

James Sergon- Mogotio

Jonathan Barkutwo-Baringo Central

Reverend Zachariah Chirchir-Baringo North

Sakaja's public school feeding program to increase enrollment and performance of learners

BY CORRESPONDENT

Nairobi governor Sakaja Johnson announced the roll out of public primary school feeding program and early childhood development centres aiming to increase school enrollment, improve concentration levels and performance of the learners, enhance cognitive abilities and increase overall engagement in the learning process.

The county government seeks to reduce the cost of meals by implementing centralized kitchen model alias hub and spoke central cooking system that will serve over 250,000 learners in all 210 public primary schools, heavily impacted by urban poverty hindering school attendance.

The comprehensive public school food subsidy, born out of an understanding of the critical role nutrition plays in children's development, is set to begin by September 2023, in line with the beginning of 3rd school term.

The county is looking to build central kitchens and serving sheds in all 17 sub-counties targeting to serve about 10 to 15 schools.

The program will alleviate the challenges associated with hunger and ultimately fostering a conducive environment to learning and academic success.