Hundreds of Mau Mau war remnants turned up in their hundreds at the Nyahururu stadium on Wednesday, May 18, for an update on the progress of a case in which they are seeking compensation from the British Government for the atrocities against them by the colonial government.
They were updated by among others the National Secretary general of the Mau Mau War Veterans Association, GituKahengeri, a programme officer with the Kenya Human Right Commission (KHRC) George Morara, and the association’s National Vice Chairman, KiburuM’Mburugu.
Kahengeri, who conveyed the greetings and apology of the national chairman Ndung’uGicheru, said that the case was progressing quite well. He said that contrary to falsehoods which he said was being propagated by a splinter group purporting to be handling the case, the matter was yet to be finalized. He asked the provincial administration and state intelligence organs to take action against some people who he claimed were going around collecting money from members of the association purportedly towards the expenses of the case and for other dubious reasons.
“It very sad that conmen have been soliciting for cash from old people including widows and widowers claiming they are opening bank accounts in readiness to bank compensation funds for them from the British government. I appeal to the government to protect our people from this exploitation,” he said.
The leader said that all expenses were being footed by the KHRC, who he thanked for shouldering the case. He asked the members to ignore the rumors and promised them that more frequent public meetings would be held from time to time for further updates. He also told them to resist insulting anybody but instead tell them off politely.
Morara told the meeting held at the Nyahururu stadium that KHRC lawyers had devised new legal tactics to handle the case, including bringing torture that and inhuman treatment against the victims. He said the case embraced fighters in the forest, women and children who suffered in detention and the reserves, the scouts.
The officer said that the Kenya government was very supportive towards the case. He said it had contracted a historian to compile a dossier that will give the British government a run for its money during the hearing, which he said would likely be fixed when the matter comes up for mention in June or July this year.
The meeting was also addressed by the organization’s Nyahururu District secretary general, Grace WanjiruKinyua.
Meanwhile, another group of leaders of the same association, led by the Nyahururu district chairman John Charles Wanjohi, disassociated themselves from the sentiments expressed at the meeting, claiming that Kahengeri was “an impostor and had no authority to hold any meetings of the association”.
Speaking to The Home News after the meeting, Wanjohi and his team said that the KHRC had nothing to do with the case in reference.
“Our national chairman is Elijah KinyuaNg’ang’aa.k.a General Bahati while the National Secretary General is MwaiMuthigi. The National Organizing Secretary is General Matenjagwo. We are pushing the compensation case through the Attorney General, and we are at an advanced stage,” said Wanjohi.
Wanjohi claimed that he had not been informed of the meeting at the stadium. He asked members of the association not to be deceived by the Kahengeri group.
“Members should wait for communication from General Bahati, who, by good luck, hails from Nyandarua County,” said Wanjohi, who introduced his vice chairman as Simon Njuguna, Mary WanjikuWachiuri (secretary), and Mary NyamburaMwangi (treasurer).
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