Bukusu elders want to move to the International Court of Justice to seek compensation from the British government for atrocities and suffering during the colonial era
The elders from Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties, under the umbrella of the Bukusu Leaders and Elders’ Forum, said they have started documenting complaints from families that lost loved ones, property and land when colonialists displaced them.
“We want the British government to compensate the families that suffered great harm during colonialism. Most of them have been rendered landless,” group chairman Reverend Ferdinand Wanyisia said.
He said they are inviting members of the community to forward their claims to the forum to arrive at a figure they will claim as compensation.
The group is also planning to sue the Kenyan government over failure to compensate members of the community who were rendered landless after evictions from Teldet, Kiboroa and Kimothon forests.
“It is unfair that members of our community have not been beneficiaries of land settlement schemes in the two counties despite the fact that they were greatly affected by land injustices,” he said.
The elders are also vouching for the suspension of the Mabanga Peace Accord among the Bukusu, Sabaot and Teso communities on grounds that the treaty has failed to achieve its original intention.
“There have been cases of mistrust and opportunism which have undermined the original spirit of the Mabanga accord. We want it suspended so we can pursue our interests in other ways,” Wanyisia said.
The accord, which was formulated in 2011 in Bungoma county, provided a roadmap for power-sharing among the Babukusu, Sabaot and Iteso communities living in the two counties.
In the agreement, the Bukusus, a dominant community in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties, were to take the governor's seat, while the senator's slot was reserved for the Sabaot community.
During the August 9 election, the Bukusu community bagged two governors positions in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma counties while the Sabaot community got the deputy governorship.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya is deputised by Philomena Kapkori, while Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka is deputised by Janepher Mbatiany.
The senator’s seat is held by Allan Chesang in Trans Nzoia.
The Bungoma Senate seat formally won by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula is vacant.
The formation of cabinets in the two counties is supposed to factor in inclusivity with the two tribes and their Iteso counterparts included.