Kaya Elders in Kilifi county are ready to show the government the herbs they claim can treat Covid-19.
The elders, from Magarini cultural centre, said their treatment can make a breakthrough in the war against Covid-19, which has become a global crisis.
Speaking to journalists at the centre on Saturday, they said in the old days there was a disease with similar symptoms to Covid-19, called Kivuti, which was curable.
'Kivuti' in some bantu languages like Embu, refers to flu-like herpes simplex.
Katana Mwagona, one of the elders, said it was unfortunate that the elders are not involved in the war on Covid-19 yet they have a major role to play.
"If the government will engage us, we will show them how the treatment is done, we have trees which are used for curing," he said.
Mwagona said there are trees as Mkadama, Muhirihiri and leaves of Neem tree, which are boiled. Then the patient is covered with a large piece of cloth and made to bend his face over the steaming pot for some time.
This is done twice a day, for about five days.
The elder demonstrated the process with the 'patient' sweating profusely after being covered with a large piece of cloth.
Mwagona also told the government to provide masks to the dealers, who are at high risk of contracting the virus.
He said there should be incentives to provide support to poor elders.
Tsuma Nzai, the director Magarini Cultural centre and coordinator of Mijikenda Kaya elders, said Kaya elders and witchdoctors are conversant with the treatment of coronavirus.
He said there are witchdoctors who used their 'powers' to diagnose any disease and cure it.
Nzai said the government should bring in experts from the Kenya Medical Research Institute to be shown the herbs.
He also said the government should consider having witchdoctors in hospitals so that they work hand in hand with medics in providing treatment.
"For years we have been advocating for doctors to work hand in hand with witchdoctors, those drugs being used in hospitals are from trees and the witchdoctors use herbs from trees too," he said.
Nzai said the pandemic has really affected their calendar of events as Kaya Elders, which are normally held to sensitise residents about culture.
He appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to always consider engaging elders whenever there is a pandemic.
Suleiman Bahero Haji, a traditional Islamic healer, also said there is a need for the government to sensitise people in the rural areas to know how the virus spreads.
Many residents in Magarini he said have no TV or smartphone that's why there is little knowledge about Covid-19.
