Kericho governor seeks Sh1trn over colonial ills
A woman picks tea. Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony wants the British Government to compensate communities who lost their land to colonialists. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH |
What you need to know:
- Administration to file suit at the High Court in London.
- Chepkwony wants the UK to compensate communities for land taken by colonialists.
The Kericho County Government will seek Sh1 trillion compensation from Britain for the Kipsigis and Tugen who suffered injustices during colonial rule.
Governor Paul Chepkwony launched a one-month registration drive for victims at the Kericho Green Stadium.
The listing is for people whose land was taken away by settlers in the South Rift during the colonial era, which ended in 1963.
Prof Chepkwony said international lawyer Kimutai arap Bosek and a yet to be appointed Queen’s counsel, would file a case at the High Court in London.
The governor said the communities should get restitution for widespread and systematic human rights abuses.
Prof Chepkwony said the county government would also be seeking an apology from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, since some of the alleged crimes occurred during her reign.
About 5,000 members of both communities attended the launch on Saturday.
“I shed tears each time someone recounts to me what happened during colonial rule. It pains me,” he said.
The governor, however, sought to calm apprehension among British investors who run huge multinational tea firms in Kericho. He said the case is not intended to hurt their businesses.
“It is important to note that this case is about violations committed by colonialists and it would not affect investors,” he said.
“The journey has started, I would not relent or be compromised. The county government would foot all the expenses,” said Prof Chepkwony.
WAKI LIST
At the same time, the governor exuded confidence that Deputy President William Ruto will be let off the hook at the International Criminal Court.
He sensationally claimed that Mr Ruto’s name is not in any list and that the DP never did any wrong.
The governor was referring to a list by the Justice Philip Waki-led commission that was sent to former ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo by ex-UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.
Prof Chepkwony was Mr Ruto’s first witness during the confirmation of charges hearings in September 2011.
Additional reporting by Patrick Langat
