The harrowing atrocities meted on indigenous Kenyans by the British Colonial Government remains a constant thorn in the flesh of Kenyans six decades after independence.
The scale and veracity of the inhumane treatment continues to haunt the victims and subsequent generations are reeling from the aftershocks.
Of more concern is the brutal land injustice the brute imperialists perpetrated on the locals. The colonialists, presided over grabbing of large productive swathes of land rendering their natives destitute in their ancestral land. Nothing causes indignity and lose of patriotism like a people squatting in their own land.
The forceful takeaway of the Kipsigis land in 1895 and further enactment of oppressive laws meant to disenfranchise the indigenous Africans compounded their misery.
So punitive and oppressive was the British Colonial regime that those who resisted forceful eviction from their land were violently deported and detained without trial.
The dark era preceded the removal of Crown Land Ordinance 1902 &1915 and Native Ordinance 1909. It is important to note that there was no compensation to the displaced Kipsigis community as they were reduced to give cheap labor to the British settlers.
To render justice, it is only fair that a reset button is pressed to give Kipsigis Community what is rightfully theirs.
After the ashes of the first world war settled, the scramble for Kipsigis land began in earnest. The land forcefully taken include Kericho, Kerenga, Tagabi, estates and the whole of African Highlands to the British soldiers.
The imperialists took advantage of the warm hospitality offered by the Kipsigis People by taking over the land that include Unilever Tea (Brooke Bond), James Finlay (African Highlands), George Williamson, (Changoi and Lelsa), Sotik Tea, Sotik Highlands, Kaisugu Tea, Mau Tea, Koru and Fotterman Farms ( Kap Norman’s) , Kabianga Tea and Tinga Farm among others .
In a cruel twist, the land forcefully taken is still held by the multinationals as locals wallow in abject want.
Ironically, the British government that holds a high moral ground on human rights, paragon of civilization and bastion of democracy is yet to issue a formal and unequivocal apology to the Kipsigis community.
The authorities must not hesitate to remove all land laws imposed by the colonialists and revert the land to the registered Kipsigis Community.
Away from the repatriation, the British colonial administration must do the necessary, and return all the traditional artefacts stolen.
It is imperative to emphasize that the Talai community, who have bore the brunt of the voracious colonial administration will be duly compensated and resettled.
With the County Government of Kericho giving commitment that opportunists who latched on the lapses and dragging of the case to allocate themselves pieces of land from the multinationals, the leadership can work to ensure all loopholes are sealed and processes all inclusive.
Land is an extremely emotive issue and a major factor of production which the agencies, county government and multinationals cannot afford to falter about.
The expiry and renewal of leases must be handled with utmost care with all stakeholders involved to right the wrongs deliberately perpetrated by the colonialists in collaboration with compliant officers.
That way, the people of Kericho will live in dignity and sense of patriotism restored.
Senator Aaron Cheruiyot is Senator for Kericho and Senate Majority Leader.
