Governor to UK: It's not enough to acknowledge injustices, we want restitution

British High Commissioner Neil Wigan with Kericho governor Erick Mutai when the envoy paid the governor a courtesy call to the county chief at his office on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. [Nikko Tanui, Standard] The United Kingdom has been urged to consider restitution of communities that were evicted from their ancestral land during the colonial era. Kericho governor Erick Mutai told the British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan that it was not enough for his government to acknowledge the injustices meted out on locals. "I challenge the UK government to consider restitution of the Kipsigis community and the Talai clan, who were evicted from their ancestral lands during the British colonial occupation to make way for tea plantations," Dr Mutai told Mr Wigan, who paid him a courtesy call at his office in Kericho town on Tuesday. The envoy, who was in South Rift amid clamour for land rights by some residents of Bomet and Kericho counties, and the controversy over tea-plucking machines, had said he wants his assignment to go beyond Nairobi and explore counties such as Kericho and Bomet that have deep historical ties with the UK. "I want to understand how that history still affects the people and the county today. Furthermore, we want to be forward-looking. We have a unique partnership with the national government, and we aim to extend it to the county level," Wigan said. He said there are partnerships the UK has with Kenya, which he said majorly revolve around job creation, environmental sustainability, and healthcare, among others. However, his host Mutai said the UK government should go further and consider restitution of those who were evicted from their farms. "Residents of this county have huge expectations based on our engagements with the British government. That is why the British government should not only acknowledge the historical injustices but also issue an apology for the human rights violations that occurred under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II," Mutai said. As a form of restitution, the governor proposed the construction of public amenities such as hospitals, and schools, and the award of scholarships as well as the return of cultural artefacts. "We want the British to acknowledge the historical facts then, we can move forward. We live in a global world and we want to attract investors from all over the world. We want partnerships with the whole world," said Mutai. Workers harvesting tea using a tea picking machine at a farm in Kericho on July 20, 2022. [File, Standard] In a reciprocal gesture, the governor indicated his administration's willingness to withdraw the case lodged by his predecessor, Paul Chepkwony, at the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding the historical land injustices. "Once the forms of apology and restitution are agreed upon, members of the local community whose land was taken away by the British colonial government will feel the British government has finally listened to their grievances, and there will be a solidification of our friendship," Mutai said. This came as a response to the ambassador's inquiries regarding the residents' perception of the UK government. Addressing Mutai's call for employment opportunities, Wigan disclosed that the British government had initiated a pilot scheme in healthcare, allowing qualified Kenyan nurses to work in the UK. "On the issue of scholarships, eligible applicants can apply for fully funded master's programmes in the United Kingdom through the British Council," he said. The envoy pledged to connect the county with British companies specializing in agro-processing. Furthermore, he announced the UK's readiness to assist counties in mitigating the effects of climate change, this coming amid concerns about the economic and humanitarian impacts of El Nino. "We are worried about El Nino effects in terms of the economy and humanitarian concerns. We are exploring ways to provide support," he said. Kericho Water Executive, Rosemary Rop, highlighted the department's efforts in conducting a participatory risk assessment and identifying areas of vulnerability. She spoke of the need for water security within the communities and the plans in place to serve up to 200,000 people, particularly in areas such as Bureti constituency which has a challenge of shortage of water. newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke

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