Koitalel Samoei's Talai clan pay tribute to Mwai Kibaki

Koitalel Samoei’s Talai clan and Nandi Community remain indebted to former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration for recognition of freedom hero Koitalel arap Samoei.

With Kenyans mourning the departed former head of State, a section of community leaders and descendants of Ogoiyot Koitalel Samoei praised Kibaki noting that his administration immortalized the legend as a freedom hero. They also cited the establishment of Koitaleel Samoei University, the first public university in Nandi County, as having been influenced by Kibaki’s Narc government after the former president visited Koitalel’s shrine in Nandi Hills when he attended centenary commemoration into his death in 2005.

Descendants led by Talai patron Moses Saina, Stephen Sugut who is also Koitalel Samoei Nandi Foundation (KSNF) chairman, David Sulo, a fourth generation descendant and former Emgwen MP Stephen Tarus hailed Kibaki's development contribution.

Saina said: “It was during Kibaki’s government that Koitalel was recognised, and a university established in his honour.  As president, Kibaki visited Koitalel shrine in Nandi Hills in 2005 where he held a meeting with Nandi leaders and Koitalel’s Talai clan.”

It was during the meeting, Saina said, that the president proposed that 103 acres of land be hived off from Agricultural Development Corporation farm in Kimwani Nandi, towards establishment of Koitaleel Samoei University. He said Kibaki also gave funding towards the building of Koitaleel Samoei mausoleum in Nandi Hills, which is an attraction site.

“We pay great tribute to our fallen former president for the contribution he made. The Talai clan is still pursuing justice for the atrocities meted to the clan and Nandi community by the imperialist after Koitalel’s killing in 1905, leading to displacement to create land for colonialists,” said Saina.

Sulo said Koitalel was an unsung hero until Kibaki’s administration came to power and recognized his contribution in the fight against colonialism. Koitalel University, a constituent College of University of Nairobi, has been gazetted and admitted its first students in 2019. The institution is located at Mosoriot in Chesumei Constituency awaiting building of its main campus in Nandi Hills.

Following Kibaki’s directive, Sh58m was allocated towards development of the mausoleum that sits in Nandi Hills, where Koitalel’s and Nandi traditional artefacts are also kept.