Survivors of colonial brutality present testimony to UN

There is a ray of hope in the search for justice for victims of atrocities committed by British colonialists in Kericho County after some of the survivors presented their testimonies and evidence to the United Nations  (UN).

This signals progress in the case in which Kericho governor Paul Chepkwony seeks compensations, reparations and apology from the British government for the alleged terrible human rights abuses committed against the victims drawn from the Talai and Kipsigis communities during the colonial times.

The presentations of testimonies and evidence to United Nations Special Rapporteur on promotion of justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence Prof Fabian Salvioli started last week and are on-going.

Last week alone, twenty victims presented their testimonies and evidence in camera to the UN. Over 110,000 survivors are listed in the matter.

A strong legal team led by Kimutai Bosek and Queen’s Counsel Rodney Dixon are representing the victims.

Victims Dickson Sitienei and Evaline Ruto who represented others are upbeat of getting justice for the colonialists human rights violations against them. 

The duo and governor Chepkwony thanked the UN for giving audience to the victims who have never found justice for injustices inflicted upon them.

“We are very grateful for the UN for agreeing to listen to us survivors in a bid to escalate the matter to the next level in our push to get justice for the horrible things committed against us by the colonialists,” said Sitienei. 

Ruto prayed to God to answer their cry so that they (victims) get justice for the terrible human rights abuses committed against them by the British colonial government.

“The British government should not be let to go away with it after colonialists did all those horrible things against. So we pray for God’s intervention so that we get justice,” she added.  

Human Rights abuses

Chepkwony said they are committed to ensuring the communities get justice for the terrible human rights abuses committed against them during the colonial times who also forcibly removed them from the ancestral land.

He said the matter has entered a crucial stage and a very important one where the survivors have already presented their testimonies and evidence to the UN so that the matter moves to the next level.

Briefing journalists at the Kericho County headquarters, the county chief revealed that it has been for many years trying to get justice for the victims for the terrible things done to them but the British government has allegedly ignored them.