Two sisters seek compensation for colonial-era chief

By Joackim Bwana

Nairobi, Kenya: Two aged daughters of Isiolo colonial-era Senior Chief Haji Galma Dido who was killed in the line of duty are appealing for help to get their father’s pension and compensation from the British and Kenyan governments.

Hadija Galma, 63, and her step-sister Deka Galma, 62, said their father was killed soon after independence by Shiftas who were involved in cattle rustling.

The two, who travelled from Isiolo to Nairobi in search of justice, said their father had inherited the chieftaincy from their grandfather around 1907 and had served for a long time before independence for the British government before he was killed on his way to Siricho where he was going with first District Commissioner (DC) Wabera Dabaso to help elders survey some land that was in dispute.

“My father was always dedicated to his work and loved his large family of four wives. On this day, he went out as usual with the first ever colonial DC in the area and had informed us that he was going to Siricho through Modogashu to do some land survey for the village elders. However, he never returned. Later we received information that the two had been killed on their way to Siricho,” Hadija Galma, the eldest daughter, said.

Four wives

Hadija said that his father had 20 children who depended on him entirely and that after his death, the family was left languishing in poverty as his four wives were illiterate and had no idea on how to follow up on the pension or compensation.

“Our father was a rich man who fended for his family without any hitch. He had a lot of cattle, goats, camels and a shop. He had a lot of love for the community and took care of many orphans who lived in his big compound,” Deka said.

Deka said that after their father’s death, most of their animals were stolen by the Shiftas and some of them poisoned, leaving them with nothing to support themselves economically.