The UK government has no plans to pay money to Mau-Mau veterans, their families or dependents. The UK, through the High Commission in Kenya, has rejected claims that it has set aside funds for payments to Mau-Mau descendants in Kenya.
In a letter to Kilge Tuku, Member of Parliament for Nyeri County, signed on Thursday by the UK High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, the UK government clarified that no payments have been made to the Kenyan government, individuals or organizations since the final settlement in 2013. According to Mr. Wigan, the UK government settled all claims related to the state of emergency period in the 2013 agreement and the payment of compensation has ceased.
He said any allegations against President William Ruto or his administration of concealing such funds are unfounded. ”We advise the public to refrain from contacting unauthorized individuals or groups seeking registration or payment of compensation and to report any suspicious activity to the relevant local authorities,” the letter said. The High Commission emphasized its commitment to the principles of transparency and ensuring that the public is fully informed on issues of mutual concern.
On January 6, Mr. Tuku expressed concern to the British Embassy that some individuals are registering people for a fee, promising to benefit from the released funds allegedly withheld by the Kenyan government. These extortion organizations also promise people that if they register, they will be given land as compensation.
It is also a big lie that the Kenyan government and the president are withholding money belonging to Mau-Mau descendants,” the MCA letter said. The scam seems to be passed down from generation to generation, with grandchildren picking up what their ancestors left behind before they die, grow old and start paying monthly donations to various organizations associated with Mau-Mau freedom fighters.
One of the victims, Beatrice Muthoni, passed on to her grandchildren from where her now deceased father-in-law paid monthly land donations and compensation. Muthoni’s husband has also passed away, so she has continued the father and son’s work.
She is a member of the associated group 20 Mau Mau which donates between 1,000 and 1,500 shillings annually. I am a member of groups such as Emai Association, Mau Mau Warriors, Mau Mau War Veterans, Mau Mau Origins, Matigali Welfare Association and Mau Mau Remnants.
Leaders of these groups have promised to lobby government to allocate land to us,” says Muthoni, 58. Get Info Subscribe to our newsletter Wherever she goes, Muthoni carries receipts and badges from all the groups to dispel doubts that she is a descendant of Mau Mau freedom fighters.
Her relatives believe that when government services are required, members of the Mau-Mau freedom group get priority if they wear their badges. Alice Togoli, a resident of Karima village in Otayi, joined such a group in 2010 after the death of her mother, Nyakarima wa Gitaga.
According to Togoli, her late mother was involved in providing for freedom fighters but died before she could get land. Like Muthoni, Togoli registered with Mau-Mau Warriors for 600 bangs and then with Mau-Mau Origins for 700 bangs.
Each year she renewed her membership. I think I spent a total of over 100,000 shillings in various organizations to register and renew my membership.
But I don’t regret it because officials use the money to go to government offices,” says Togoli. Another Mau Mau descendant, Victor Njuguna, was convinced by his uncle in 2008 that government had allocated land in Mpeketomi, Lamu County for Mau Mau descendants to settle there.
He and four members of his family each donated 16,000 marquees. One share equivalent to an acre of land was sold for 4,000 shillings.
We donated 64,000 marquees and my uncle donated 112,000 marquees for his family of seven. So far, we have not received any communication from this organization.” Other groups use other strategies to raise money from Mau-Mau descendants.
They register their groups and ask their members to donate some amount to help them sue the UK government and get compensation. READ MORE: Mau Mau compensation claim enters crucial phase Many of the groups emerged after a successful lawsuit against the British government, which agreed to pay 2.8 billion shillings for torture inflicted on Mau Mau victims by colonialists during the Mau Mau uprising.
Another victim, Charles Njoroge, and other victims have been counseled by a group of individuals who claim that they were part of a group of Kenyans who successfully sought payment from the British government last year and that there are other attempts to file another lawsuit. My sister and I had to pay Sh50,000 each, so including my parents we paid Sh200,000.
These companies have since gone bankrupt so I believe we have been cheated,” says Njoroge. Wemahika union president Ngatia Gachara has asked the government to fulfill its promise and crack down on cartels that are taking advantage of defenseless Kenyans.
The only way this business opportunity will be lost is if government allocates land to Mau Mau freedom fighters who shed blood for independence and democracy and lived as squatters.” Gachara says some of the problems facing the country could be a result of the curse of the Mau Mau victims, noting that while most of them live in abject poverty with bullets in their bodies, the government has paid them little or no compensation.
