A demand for the British Government to compensate the Nandi community for atrocities committed during the colonial rule and calls for the return of Koitalel arap Samoei’s skull as well as ‘stolen’ cultural artifacts dominated the 118th anniversary celebrations for the legendary leader at his mausoleum in Nandi Hills.
The skull of the revered Nandi leader, Koitalel, who was a thorn in the flesh of the colonial masters, is believed to be in Pitts Rivers Museum, London together with artifacts from other African countries. Koitalel’s skull is more than 100 years old.
The Nandi community — through its elders and leaders — is seeking Sh20 billion from the British Government as compensation for the colonial rulers’ forcible displacement of families from their ancestral land and the brutal killing of Koitalel. The Nandi spiritual leader was killed together with his ministers.
The demands have resurfaced ahead of the planned four-day State visit to Kenya by King Charles III of England and his wife, Queen Camilla, on October 31 to November 3.
Buckingham Palace announced the visit following President William Ruto’s invitation to the royal couple ‘to celebrate the warm relationship between the two countries.’
It will be King Charles III’s first visit to a Commonwealth nation since becoming a monarch last September when he took over the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
The unpleasant memories of British colonial rule are a stark reminder of a bitter past for the Nandi people and other communities in Kenya that protested against oppression.
In the recent past, President Ruto has expressed commitment to resolve historical land injustices by the British colonialists against the Talai clan, which Koitalel belonged to, and the Nandi community in general.
President Ruto, just like his predecessors, including Kenya’s founding President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, received blessings from the Talai elders before assuming office.
Koitalel succeeded his father as the Orkoiyot – the supreme spiritual and political chief of the Nandi people — at 25 years old.
Koitalel arap Samoei was killed on October 19, 1905.
British soldier Colonel Richard Meinertzehagen duped Koitalel and other Nandi elders to attend a meeting at Ket Barak, which now hosts the Nandi Bears Club in Nandi County, to make a truce. That is where they met their end.
Previously, former Nandi Governor Cleophas Sang initiated a bid for compensation for the community by appointing British lawyer Karim Khan, who is now the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and Lilan and Koech Advocates to collect evidence and file a case at the ICC.
This was after the previous Nandi County Assembly approved Sh108 million to hire legal experts to file the suit at the ICC and African Court of Justice.
Francis Talam points to where Nandi leader Koitalel was killed at the Koitalel Samoei arap Turgat Mausoleum in Nandi Hills Town, Nandi County on September 30.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Some ‘stolen’ artifacts, which included Koitalel’s royal batons, were traced by Kenyan scholars and have since been returned to the country.
“These treasured royal staffs of the office of Orkoiyot Koitalel Samoei were recovered through the diligent efforts and guidance of Egyptologist Dr Kipkoech arap Sambu and doctoral student Kipnyango arap Seroney with the cooperation of Col Richard Meinertzhagen, the son of Randle Meinertzhagen, on 23rd of January 2006,” states a plague on the safe where the batons are kept.
Talai Council of Elders Chairman Rev James Bassy, said President Ruto has assured the clan members of his commitment to resolve the long-standing historical land injustices and the compensation issue.
“The President is very much aware of our sufferings and we have held talks with Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, on how the government will help resolve this matter,” said Rev Bassy.
The DP visited Kapsisiywa Secondary School in Chesumei Constituency, Nandi County last month where he held closed-door talks with Talai elders. He was accompanied by Governor Stephen Sang and other Nandi lawmakers.
Emurua Dikirr MP Ngeno said that there should be a commitment to address the Nandi people’s historical injustices at least within the next 10 years.
Nandi Deputy Governor Cheruiyot said that it is regrettable that even though the Nandi community fought against land invasion by the colonialists, Nandi County did not get a railway line in the region.
“If Koitalel fought against the construction of a railway line, how come there is no inch of the railway in Nandi County?” Wondered Dr Cheruiyot.
She asked the National Land Commission (NLC) to demarcate the land and issue title deeds to the community.
“The Nandi community suffered a lot and was displaced during the colonial period. We want the NLC to start the process of issuing land titles,” she said.
Elders interviewed by nation.africa said that Koitalel arap Samoei together with his ministers and messengers were killed by British soldiers led by Col Richard Meinertzhagen after leading a seven-year resistance.
“I’ve been called by the white man for a truce but my spirit tells me he is not sincere,” said Koitalel, as if he had a premonition of his death.
And true to his prediction, the ‘handshake’ with the white man turned out to be a betrayal, as Koitalel and his team were all shot dead at Ket Barak in Nandi County.
“My drastic action on this occasion haunted me for many years. I, Richard Meinertzhagen, murdered Koitalel Samoei, the Nandi Orkoiyot on October 19, 1905,” stated Col Richard Meinertzhagen in his confessions.
Rev Bassy said the Talai clan suffered a great deal after the British colonialists forcibly took away their fertile land and confined to the mosquito-infested Kapsisiywa swamp in 1910.
“The clan members were 300 at the time the inhumane treatment was meted on them, but the number has since increased to more than 10,000 people. Clan members lost their land and other valuables which subjected them to socio-economic suffering,” added Rev Bassy.
