Case against Britain on land gets the nod

Bomet County has resolved to pursue billions of shillings from the British Government in compensation for historical land injustices.

The County Assembly Thursday mandated Governor Isaac Ruto to file a case against London and the UK royal family for taking their land for setting up of multinational tea plantations during the colonial era.

A motion authorising the case, which was unanimously passed by the Assembly, was filed by ward representative Christopher Ng’eno (Chepchabas).

Mr Ng’eno said the land on which the African Highlands Produce Company Ltd (now James Finlay Kenya Ltd) was established was forcefully taken away by white settlers “rendering the local people squatters in their own country”.

“Our livestock were also forcefully confiscated, subjecting our people to abject poverty.”

As a result, the people may be rendered extinct by the high level poverty as they no longer have land, he told the House while contributing to the debate.

“We are also at risk of contracting diseases due to the contamination of our water resulting from aerial spraying of the tea plantations by the company, and other emerging diseases resulting from pollution.”

COLONIALIST HAD PROMISED

Nominated assembly member Bency Too said the colonialist had promised give them seven acres but only gave them two.

She said it was sad that multinational tea factories in the region had clean drinking water while families continued to consume contaminated water.

Siongoroi ward representative Leonard Kirui said it was illogical for the colonialist to make families squatters in their own country.

“The white settlers were indeed very ungrateful,” he said. “Instead of ploughing back some of the profits into the community by building health institutions and schools and offering scholarships to affected families, they were taking away these from them.”

Deputy Speaker Joyce Korir directed House committees on Urban Planning, Legal and Culture to visit the ward and prepare a report on the matter.

Should the county government heed the Assembly’s directive, it will join Kericho County in the pursuit of compensation from Britain.

Kericho recently began looking for lawyers to pursue its case. Governor Paul Chepkwony said he had directed the procurement office in the region to hire a lawyer of international standing to file a case in London on behalf of Kipsigis and the Talai peoples, who have similar grievances against the British government.

The Kericho County Assembly also demanded a public apology from London and UK’s royal family over injustices that took place during the colonial era.

The lawyers would be instructed to demand compensation for thousands of surviving relatives of those displaced from their land to create space for tea plantations that characterised the county to date, Prof Chepkwony said after the County Assembly passed a motion approving the suit.

“We will do whatever is necessary to get justice for those affected.”

The matter was widely covered in the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission report presented to President Kenyatta last year, he added.