Memory lane: Day Mt Kenya was nearly sold for 20 goats, beads

At the slopes of the sacred shrine, gunshots shattered the serenity as men, who only months ago would have slaughtered each other with spears were sipping gin from the same horns as they munched their way through a mountain of goat meat.

And as gourds of the potent muratina were emptied, boisterous laughter echoed across the valleys as they engaged their banter. The Union Jack fluttered in rhythm to the cold mountain breeze as the toast of the ceremony, John Boyes, who had managed to bring together the warring tribes and clans together, enjoyed the spectacle.

This was a market day like no other at Ruthagati where ordinary serious haggling ensued on market days with pots of honey exchanged for goats, sweet potatoes; beads and arrow heads, given for cowrie shells and red ochre.

On this day, the only livestock were rams and some goats. They were grazing around their raucous and merry masking masters. Ruthagati is about 15 kilometres from Karatina town and on a clear day one can see Mt Kenya.

One ram had just been slaughtered by Karanja wa Kuria witnessed by elders some of who were in their birthday suits.

Ruler of the mountain

Boyes, who in the eyes of the elders was curiously attired, extended his hand to be sliced. Incisions were also made on the the elders, led by the magestic Wangombe wa Nderi, the supreme ruler of the mountain, the crafty Olomondo, the chief of Dorobo as well the dreaded Mugo wa Ndengi who had powers to commune with spirits, also followed suit.

And as the crowd ululated, the big chiefs swiped their hands against each other and in manner which made the blood from their incisions mix. This was in 1898. Symbolically, this made the elders and Boyes blood brothers.

But the brotherhood, time would prove, was just a facade as the elders had unwittingly sold the scared seat of their God, Mwene Nyaga. Boyes had come with the intention of buying the second highest mountain in Africa.

Eight years earlier in 1890, Britain had lost another mountain. This had not been sold but had according to some accounts been given away to Germany.

Some accounts by Schneppen Heinz in his book, Why Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania (1996) indicate Britain ceded the highest mountain in Africa to Germany in exchange of Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam and Heligoland in Northern Sea.

Some theorists however claim that Wilhelm, the German Prince had complained to his grandmother, Queen Victoria that she had two mountains while he had none.

The matriarch, Heinz writes, aptly referred to as the “grandmother of Europe”, then ordered her subjects to grant the future Kaiser one high snow-capped mountain in East Africa.

Away from the theories, Boyes testified 43 years after his purported purchase that he owned the mountain.

During the Morris Carter Commission, which was collecting evidence from Kenyans with complaints of disinheritance, Boyes said: “I have a legal claim to Mt Kenya according to the native law which I propose to place before you for your consideration. During the blood brotherhood ceremony, it was decided that I should take the mountain. I was the only white man they (chiefs) knew.” Boyes further testified on oath that after the ceremony he was asked to give the Dorobo some sheep which he did to close the bargain adding: “I also bought several pieces of land this way. One such piece of land I gave to an Italian Catholic Mission which they still hold at Karuri’s in Tuthu.

Boyes claim of having bought Mt Kenya for a handful of goats and some rolls of cloth is somehow collaborated by some witnesses.

Ndiuni wa Murathimi, the chief who was in charge of Mathari and Ihururu at the time testified before the Kenya Land Commission when he appeared on January 27, 1933.

“I was blood brother to John Boyes. I was not present when he made blood brotherhood with Wang’ombe. Karanja wa Kuria was present when the blood brotherhood took place.”

According to Murathimi, both Wang’ombe and Olomondo were given 10 goats each by Boyes but added, “ I do not know whether this was the purchase price of Mt Kenya. Probably not.”

Blood brotherhood

Murathimi told the commission that at the time the only person who was present then was Karanja Wa Kuria.

When Karanja took the witness stand, he testified that Wang’ombe had told Boyes that there were seven white men on Mt Kenya and it later turned out that the chief had killed some members of expedition for straying into his territory without his permission.

Boyes said a number of occasions he had sent messengers from his base in Tuthu seeking Wangombe’s hand of friendship but the envoys had been killed.

It was Karanja’s testimony that Wang’ombe and Olomondo had been given 15 goats each so that they could accompany Boyes.

At the time of the of the commission, Wang’ombe had died but his son Nderi Wang’ombe who had attended the controversial sale and was at the time a headman recalled the ceremony.

“I remember Boyes was sent for by my father and we met at Ruthagati. Boyes made blood brotherhood with my father.

A ram was killed by Karanja wa Kuria to perform this ceremony. To the best of my knowledge, nothing was said about Boyes owning the mountain.

A number of witnesses told the commission that Wang’ombe was the ultimate chief in Mt Kenya and that even the Dorobos had to bribe him with honey and alcohol to be allowed to trap animals in his territory.

The possibility of a secret pact between Boyes and Wang’ombe over the mountain was given credence by Githegi Wa Kaguamba who in 1933 was Vice President of the Suprior Native Tribunal.

He said that on the day of the ceremony there were two white men accompanying Boyes who came with many goats.

“Then Boyes told Wang’ombe that they should make blood brotherhood so that he (Boyes) would not be killed by the Agikuyu. After the ceremony, Boyes and Wang’ombe remained together for a little while.

When Boyes met Wang’ombe, the latter was a very powerful chie who lived at the slopes of Mt Kenya and was feared by all his neighbours because of his ruthlessness and military might.

Boyes claim was dismissed as thousands of other claimants who had appeared before the commission demanding land appropriated by the crown, the church, neibhours or rich white settlers.

“We find that majority of the claims are so wild and extravagant and frequently so conflicting that not even the Kikuyu could criticise us for enquiring substantiation from other sources before we affirm as a fact that any practice of making such payment existed.”