Abashu elders welcome MP-elect Ndakwa home by slaughtering bull to bless, cleanse him

As drums throbbed and ululations pierced the air in Malava on the afternoon of November 28, hundreds of excited residents trooped into the homestead of MP-elect David Ndakwa for his homecoming ceremony.

But this was no ordinary political celebration.

At the heart of it lay a sacred cultural practice that the Abashu clan of the Kabras sub-tribe has guarded for generations: the slaughtering of a bull to cleanse, bless and cement new leadership.

According to the clan's long-held belief, leadership is not merely won at the ballot; it is sanctioned by God and affirmed by the community's ancestral obligations.

And for the Abashu, no leader begins their journey without the symbolic spilling of a bull's blood at the threshold of their home.

As Ndakwa arrived at his homestead, still basking in the jubilation of his victory in the hotly contested Malava by-election, a team of elders and young men, dressed in traditional regalia, took position outside his main entrance. A heavily built, well-fed brown male bull stood tethered beside them, its presence commanding.

The animal was slaughtered on the right side of Ndakwa's entrance. The bull was fell down and the throat slit, immediately the new MP took to the podium to speak.

According to Kabras' cultural doctrine, the right side represents masculinity and authority. It signals that the leader is a man, and that the community acknowledges and accepts his mandate.

Jonathan Shiomo, the chairman of the Kabras Culture Association and custodian of the clan's traditions, explained that the ritual is far more than a celebratory act.

"This bull must be slaughtered on the right side of the entrance," Shiomo said as he supervised the ritual.

"That is how our ancestors sealed the leadership of men. It shows that the elected leader is a man, has authority, and has been accepted by the clan. It also cleanses the leader from any evil and demonic influence from his opponents that may be following him, or he might have committed during the campaign period."

The ritual, he added, is a powerful affirmation that the Abashu clan recognises Ndakwa as their chosen leader.

During such, the animal is slaughtered and prepared by men considered "righteous" in the community, and a specific part of the meat is given to the leader as a gesture of authority.

The blood of the bull is believed to cleanse the path ahead of him, shield him from calamities and spiritually anchor his leadership.

"Anyone with an intention to kill or poison Ndakwa cannot cross the gate because the bull's blood remaining here is to shield him. Whenever one tries, he cannot succeed," said Shiomo.

Long before modernity, the Abashu clan had a unique system of leadership, one anchored in spirituality and guided by ancestral blessings.

Even today, amid Kenya's vibrant and fast-evolving political culture, the clan insists that true leadership is only complete after fulfilling this cultural rite.

Shiomo explained that the ritual does more than bless the leader; it reinforces the clan's wish that leadership stays within the Abashu bloodline.

"Our traditions remind us that leadership comes from God. But as a community, we have a responsibility to protect that leadership and ensure it remains strong. This bull is slaughtered to ensure the leadership is cemented within the clan," said Shiomo.

The belief is that by spilling the bull's blood, any misfortune, witchcraft, jealousy or ill-will directed at the leader is neutralised.

The ritual is therefore both political and spiritual, a powerful blend of tradition and cultural governance.

To the Abashu, leadership rituals are not optional; they are a duty. Elders narrated that skipping the ritual has consequences, ranging from misfortune, leadership instability, conflict, or unexplained calamities that befall leaders who take office without receiving cultural sanction.

"Leadership without cleansing is dangerous. The bull's blood carries blessings and takes away misfortune. If you ignore that, you walk alone," said Mzee Khatenje, one of the elders present at the ceremony.