The Nandi community marked the 104th anniversary since the assassination of legendary leader Koitalel arap Samoei. reads a story in a Kenyan newspaper.
Let me start by saying that,without the shedding of blood ,among Kenyan communities against the British colonialism,freedom would have been,but a long long dream.It was the armed struggle of many communities that loosened the colonial arm ,occupation and racist control.Some people can down play the role of the African people's struggle to flee themseves,but without it the chains would still be sorronding most of them.
Let me start by saying that,without the shedding of blood ,among Kenyan communities against the British colonialism,freedom would have been,but a long long dream.It was the armed struggle of many communities that loosened the colonial arm ,occupation and racist control.Some people can down play the role of the African people's struggle to flee themseves,but without it the chains would still be sorronding most of them.
For most of Kenyans who love our freedom fighters and heroes it is a story of sadness,but also joy.
KOITALEL ARAP SAMOEI was the most honorable member of theTalai Clan and Leader of the Nandi,among the Kalenjin linguo-ethnic Community of Rift Valley.The marauding Euro-Britons had just occupied Kenya stole native land and in their attempt to solidify their colonization, came across, the humble but courageus Nandi People who strongly resisted with only tradiotional weapons the well armed Britons,ofcourse armed with modern weaponary ,capable of real mass destruction, that had been battle tested else where, with a lot of success. But the Nandi Freedom Fighters were not giving in that easy, they scared the Britons, until with some cunning tricks,they were able to capture their unarmed leaders,without firing a shot,after they came for pseudo"PeaceTalks" that never happened.. Same old Euro"devilish and cunning tricks used on Native Americans Chiefs.
Col Richard Meinertzhagen assassinated Samoei and 23 others after lying to them he wanted to initiate peace talks. Samoei was killed on October 19, 1905, at the height of colonial occupation.
This British soldier who killed him was well known for his cold blood killings,especially when it came to Africans and non-Europeans,also he is rumoured to have shot his second wife,and reported it as suicide. In his Diary it is reported that he regreted the killing, he never the less was one of Englands most decorated heroes of colonialism,having served in Asia,Middle East and ofcourse Africa.
This is not strange beacase another decorated soldier and both European and World Hero, the Boy Scout founder Lord Baden-Powell illegally executed a prisoner-of-war, according to recently auctioned papers in South Cerney, Gloucestershire .The papers relating to the Second Matabele War in 1896 say Baden-Powell, whose remains are buried in Nyeri,Kenya, then a Colonel in the British Army, ordered the shooting of an African Chief Uwini, who led a rebellion by Africans against white settlement in what is now Zimbabwe; had been promised his life would be spared if he surrendered.
However,according to the inquiry papers, which were originally owned by his commanding officer, Sir Frederick Carrington, make it clear that the future scouting leader knew Uwini had been promised safe conduct. Col.Baden-Powell ,in self defence said he took action to save lives and because his commander was too distant to consult. But you wonder whose lives was he saving,in an obvious racist warpath.?. The local natives defending their land or his invading british kinsfolk stealing local land by force.
However, since an inquiry at the time of the conflict into the affair exonerated the later to be Maj.Gen. Lord Sir Robert S.S.Baden-Powell.;whom all of us think of him as a hero rather than a villain. This reminds me , how as a boy scout and the leader/master of the 18th Nanyuki Troop; I was excited with B.B. /and Scouting,motto " On my honor I pledge my allegience to God and to my country". (fellow human beings,which at one time to the colonized/later commonwealth subjects,allegience used to be to the Queen.)
For our Hero it was until recently that a Museum at Nandi Hills in Samoei’s honour,was built; hopeful the Meausoleum will serve as a study center to do further research inorder to establish atrocities committed against the locals by the British colonialists.The Nandi Resistance stands out as one of the most heroic struggle for freedom.Then of course the Mau Mau Land Freedom ,struggle among the Agikuyu,Ameru,Aembu and Akamba.It is also documented tha some Joluo,Kalenjins ,Abaluyas, Abagusii , Miji Kenda,Taita,Samburu/Maasai had taken the Mau Mau oath and therefore, contrary to some falsified historical rhetorics,it was a national liberation struggle,that could have ended with a lot of other communities involved in the armed action in the forests, but the British Intel and supportive homeguards ensured that does not happen.
This is not strange beacase another decorated soldier and both European and World Hero, the Boy Scout founder Lord Baden-Powell illegally executed a prisoner-of-war, according to recently auctioned papers in South Cerney, Gloucestershire .The papers relating to the Second Matabele War in 1896 say Baden-Powell, whose remains are buried in Nyeri,Kenya, then a Colonel in the British Army, ordered the shooting of an African Chief Uwini, who led a rebellion by Africans against white settlement in what is now Zimbabwe; had been promised his life would be spared if he surrendered.
However,according to the inquiry papers, which were originally owned by his commanding officer, Sir Frederick Carrington, make it clear that the future scouting leader knew Uwini had been promised safe conduct. Col.Baden-Powell ,in self defence said he took action to save lives and because his commander was too distant to consult. But you wonder whose lives was he saving,in an obvious racist warpath.?. The local natives defending their land or his invading british kinsfolk stealing local land by force.
However, since an inquiry at the time of the conflict into the affair exonerated the later to be Maj.Gen. Lord Sir Robert S.S.Baden-Powell.;whom all of us think of him as a hero rather than a villain. This reminds me , how as a boy scout and the leader/master of the 18th Nanyuki Troop; I was excited with B.B. /and Scouting,motto " On my honor I pledge my allegience to God and to my country". (fellow human beings,which at one time to the colonized/later commonwealth subjects,allegience used to be to the Queen.)
For our Hero it was until recently that a Museum at Nandi Hills in Samoei’s honour,was built; hopeful the Meausoleum will serve as a study center to do further research inorder to establish atrocities committed against the locals by the British colonialists.The Nandi Resistance stands out as one of the most heroic struggle for freedom.Then of course the Mau Mau Land Freedom ,struggle among the Agikuyu,Ameru,Aembu and Akamba.It is also documented tha some Joluo,Kalenjins ,Abaluyas, Abagusii , Miji Kenda,Taita,Samburu/Maasai had taken the Mau Mau oath and therefore, contrary to some falsified historical rhetorics,it was a national liberation struggle,that could have ended with a lot of other communities involved in the armed action in the forests, but the British Intel and supportive homeguards ensured that does not happen.
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