The Mijikenda Kaya Elders Association has confirmed that this year’s Chenda Chenda Festival will be held at Kaya Mtswakara in Kwale County, ending weeks of dispute with the Kilifi County Government, which had proposed hosting the event at Pwani University.

The festival is organised by Kaya elders every year on September 9 to celebrate the Mijikenda culture and foster unity in diversity.

Speaking at Kaya Mtswakara on Friday, association coordinator Tsuma Nzai emphasised that the cultural festival is rotational and that it is Kwale’s rightful turn to host, following Kilifi’s hosting of the 2024 edition.

Nzai explained that the decision was unanimously reached during a meeting of Kaya elders held in Ribe on August 18.

“Chenda Chenda is about the unity of the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes. Since its inception, the event has rotated between Kwale and Kilifi, the two counties with the largest Mijikenda populations. Because it was Kwale’s turn, we gave them the chance to choose a venue, and they settled on Kaya Mtswakara,” he said.

Nzai criticised Kilifi County’s move to proceed with a parallel event at Pwani University, branding it as an attempt to undermine the Mijikenda unity. Kilifi County released posters advertising Chenda Chenda at Pwani University, we demanded an audience with the governor. He initially assured us that the event would be cancelled and that he would join the celebrations in Kwale. However, we are now hearing different reports that it will still proceed. That is not an event by the Kaya elders, and we suspect it is meant to disrupt the unity of the mijikenda,” Nzai stated.

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Previous chenda chenda festivals

This year marks the eighth edition of the Chenda Chenda Festival. Nzai outlined its history, noting that Kilifi has hosted five times and Kwale twice.

The annual festival was first celebrated in 2018 at Karisa Maitha Grounds in Kilifi, in honour of the late Kisauni MP Karisa Maitha. In 2019, it moved to Ukunda Showground in Kwale. The 2020, 2021, and 2022 editions were held at Magarini Cultural Centre in Kilifi due to the Corona pandemic and political transitions. In 2023, it returned to Kwale at Baraza Park, the same site that hosted the inaugural 2009 celebration. Last year’s event took place at Kaya Fungo in Kilifi.

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Nzai further noted that Kilifi County has occasionally organised parallel cultural events, such as the 2023 celebration in Kaloleni, which honoured Mepoho but was not branded as Chenda Chenda.

Kwale County Chief Officer for Social Services and Talent Management, Riziki Mwasoza, confirmed that all preparations are in place.

“Governor Fatuma Achani is honoured to host this prestigious Mijikenda event. As a county, we value culture as the fountain of our unity and identity. We welcome everyone and assure participants of security and hospitality,” Mwasoza said.

She toured the venue on Friday.

Kaya Mtswakara chairman Shaban Ndegwa highlighted the cultural and historical significance of the chosen venue.

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“This site overlooks the Mwache River, which holds deep meaning in Mijikenda history. It is here, tradition says, that this is the place where Ngiriama broke, marking the beginning of disunity among the Mijikenda. By returning here, we seek prayers for renewed unity,” he explained.

Ngiriama was a cultural charm that held the Mijikenda together. The Mijikenda have for long attributed their disunity to the disintegration of the Ngiriama.

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It is at the same river that children born with disability (mavyoni) were dumped.

According to the elders’ itinerary, 50 Kaya elders from the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes will hold night-long prayers at the venue ahead of the festival. Kaya Mtswakara also offers views of the ongoing Mwache Dam project, the Standard Gauge Railway line, and the Dongo Kundu bypass.

Part of the prayers is to place a curse on those who fan disunity in the Mijikenda community