Kenyans have till April to join Mau Mau case

What you need to know:

  • The new claimants said they had been overlooked in the restitution deal that was sealed early this year.

Kenyans who suffered in the struggle for independence have until April to join the litigation that is seeking compensation from the British Government.

Tandem Law, the lead solicitors, have said only Kenyans who suffered some form of mistreatment between October 20, 1952 and December 12, 1963 would be allowed to join the case.

“The mistreatment must have been inflicted by or on behalf of the State, whether Britain or Kenya, and you are personally prepared to give a witness statement and must  have a Kenya identity card,” said the law firm.

Buoyed by the victory of 5,228 Kenyans who had sued Britain for rape and torture during the Mau Mau uprising, Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi’s widow, Loise Mukami, sued the British Government afresh, together with 8,061 others.

The new claimants said they had been overlooked in the restitution deal that was sealed early this year.

And on October 22, the senior master sitting in the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice ruled that this new case will be heard under the Kenya emergency group litigation.

Tandem Law said as per the High Court in London ruling, no person will bring a claim after the April deadline.

“Any solicitor with clients who wish to join the group must register their interest with the Law Society’s Multiparty Action Group in the United Kingdom, notify the  lead solicitors of Tandem Law and register by April 30, next year,” said the law firm.

Tandem Law appointed Miller and Company Advocate as their representatives in Kenya.

“Kenya based claimants should in the first instance contact Miller and Company Advocates,” said the law firm in an advertisement.

Cecil Guyana Miller, the Managing Partner of Miller & Company Advocates, told the Sunday Nation that so far more than 8,062 claimants have registered for the case.

“We are calling on other Mau Mau fighters who are yet to register to do so before April 30,” said Mr Miller.

He said that his claimants are led by Mrs Kimathi and General Bahati among others.

Mr Miller said they applied for an extension of the registration deadline, adding that his case is different from the one where Mau Mau fighters were compensated early this year. In June, UK paid Sh2.6bn to over 5,000 claimants.