County hires lawyers to make the UK account for atrocities

The Nandi County government has begun the process of suing the United Kingdom over atrocities committed during the colonial rule.

It has formed a secretariat of 10 lawyers to gather evidence from survivors and develop a case against the British.

“The British Government should pay for the killing of 20,000 people including legendary leader Koitalel arap Samoei, seizure of 150,000 animals and mass displacement,” Governor Cleophas Lagat said on Saturday.

The devolved government is to spend Sh108 million on the case to be filed at the International Criminal Court.

It wants the Nandi and Talai communities compensated for the suffering they underwent before independence.

“The suit is not meant to scare tea multinationals and other investors,” Dr Lagat said.

COMMUNITIES LOST LAND

He added that the communities lost thousands of fertile hectares of land during the resistance against colonial rule, which was now being managed by multinationals.

“The funds approved by the county assembly will be spent on lawyers who will pursue justice and compensation for locals, some of whom are landless,” the county boss added.

Two elders — Mr Philip Karoney and Mr Joseph Chumo — said there was sufficient evidence of inhuman treatment by the British colonial government.

“We have original documents of brutality against the communities, including land managed by multinational tea companies whose leases have expired,” Mr Karoney said.