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Friday 5 October 2012

Kenyan Mau Mau veterans celebrate victory in UK torture damages case

Mau Mau veterans Muthoni Mara, Wambuga Wa Nyingi and Paulo Muoka Nzili
Veterans clap, cheer and dance as news comes through from London of high court ruling that they can claim compensation


The news from London was relayed from a mobile phone and suddenly the men and women who had been sitting silently in the meagre shade around a sun-scorched garden in Nairobi erupted: hugging, cheering, clapping, dancing and eventually raising their hands to the sky and praying.

These veterans of Kenya's Mau Mau uprising had been waiting for hours for a ruling that vindicated their right to claim damages for the torture and abuses carried out by British colonial authorities.

"I am very, very happy," said Wambugu Wa Nyingi, one of three claimants in the case. The UK government "has done justice because it is a just government," he said, speaking in the Kikuyu language and leaning on a wooden stick.

In his written evidence, Nyingi, 85, said he was arrested in 1952 and detained for about nine years. He was beaten unconscious and still bears the marks from leg manacles, whipping and caning.

"I just wanted the truth to be out. Even the children of my children should know what happened," he said. "What should happen is that people should be compensated so they can begin to forgive the British government."

The three claimants suffered what their lawyers describe as "unspeakable acts of brutality", including castration, beatings and severe sexual assaults.

Jane Muthoni Mara, another claimant, clapped and cheered as the ruling was relayed. She hoped the British government would compensate the veterans.

"I'm very happy and my heart is clean," she said. Asked what she would tell her four children, she said simply: "I will tell them I won."

In her statement to the court, Mara, who is from the Kirinyaga district in central Kenya, said she was 15 when she was detained and beaten with sticks and a gun butt and had her legs stamped on. She was also sexually assaulted.

"My life was destroyed because I now live in a township and I don't have a farm of my own," she said.

"I am so proud of these old people," said Atsango Chesoni, the executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). "These people are the ones who allowed us to live, to go to school."

She said she did not know how many other claimants would come forward.

"What we would like is a situation where the British just acknowledge that this happened, apologise and provide some form of compensation so that these people can live out their lives in some form of comfort," she said.

After the ruling was announced, men in suits, straw hats or turbans, many brandishing traditional fly-whisks, and women in headscarves and colourful dresses danced around the garden behind the headquarters of the KHRC.

Professor Henry Stanley Kabeca, a historian, stood watching the celebrations. He said he was a "strong supporter" of the Mau Mau.

"I feel delighted, completely vindicated. I got a bit demoralised in 1956 when our people surrendered from the forest as a defeated force. We only lost the battle, we won the war, and today is the climax of a long struggle."

The ruling also marks a kind of catharsis for Kenya, where the history of the Mau Mau movement has always been controversial. After independence in 1963, the country's first two presidents tried to downplay the group's role in the struggle against the British.

Kenya's most numerous ethnic group, the Kikuyu, was split between those who joined the insurgency, and so-called "loyalists" who sided with the British.

"It lays the foundation for us to confront the ghosts of the past in a candid way," said George Morara, senior programmes officer at the KHRC.

"For the veterans, it's been a long journey. Mandela said he took the long walk to freedom for 27 years. These guys have taken 50 years. It's been a much longer walk to freedom. So you can understand the sheer sense of jubilation. It's been a landmark ruling," he said.

Morara said the KHRC was travelling around the country interviewing thousands of people to determine who else might be eligible for eventual compensation. A legal ban on the Mau Mau was only lifted in 2003.

Charles Ngare, a member of the Mau Mau veterans' association, raised his hands above his head as a bearded man with a fly-whisk decorated in the Kenyan colours led a group prayer.

The veterans "feel born again. They feel so happy in their spirits," he said. "This will make their spirits walk."

Saturday 8 September 2012

A day at the Paralympic


Yesterday was probably one of the most memorable days of my daughter and myself life so far. Thriller Thursday at the Paralympic Games really was a thriller, from beginning to end. We were lucky enough to get tickets for the athletics and I had absolutely no idea what was scheduled until I was reading the Evening Standard on the way. Not only did we have the Jonnie Peacock/Oscar Pistorious head-to-head (which Jonnie thrashed after the stadium erupted and chanted his name,) but also two more golds in the space of an hour thanks to David Weir and Hannah Cockcroft. The stadium itself is breathtaking and I felt completely overwhelmed after watching it on the telly for weeks. Once you're inside it seems a lot smaller and you have a great view of everything, wherever you're sitting. Singing the National Anthem three times in one night and witnessing Paralympic history being made was incredible... It's something I'll never forget. 
 

























Monday 13 August 2012

London 2012

 


I've decided to do a slightly different post sort of, ad hoc.  I'm sitting here watching the closing of the Olympics of London 2012 (sorry if I'm in breach of copyright for typing the word Olympics, but lets be fair, that's what it is!) and I've honestly found the whole experience so emotional.

Before this year, I'd never really watched any of the Olympics, just didn't interest me, but this year, I don't know what it was but I made the effort to watch the opening ceremony, and that was it, I was hooked!  I've watched all sorts of sports, rowing, archery, judo, basketball, diving, swimming, running, heptathlon, cycling and more - I've watched Britains and others get Gold, Silver and Bronze, and I've been happy for every single one of them.  It's been an amazing experience, and I really regret not getting tickets and going to London to see some of it.  But there's no point me regretting it, it's all done now :)

It's been an awesome spectacle of history and achievement, with women from some countries being able to partake in the olympics for the first time, to dozens of world records being broken - wonderful people like Mo Farrah doing our country proud, and seeing pure legends like Bolt - it's been a privilege. and not forgetting my fellow Kenyan men proud of you guys

One thing the Olympics being here has done, is made me want to get fit - I've been out walking more and I'd like to get closer to my old fitness levels.  I've already been losing weight for a while now, so that I want to keep up more than ever :)

The closing ceremony has been somewhat emotional for me.  I'm so sad it's all coming to and end, this great journey we've all been on - and what's been lovely, is that even just watching from home, I've felt like I'm a part of it :) it was fantastic to hear all the music, and see everyone having so much fun and loving it..!!!

So, thank you London 2012 it's been a pleasure and privilege.

Sunday 22 July 2012

TRIPPLE EM PRESENT THE SUMMER ALL WHITE PARTY 2012

see what you missed..
 

the gate crushers(not wearing white)
beautiful ladies n gent
ladies getting down
weuweee
lovely scenery
the boss
life is too short
men at work
the Djs in the house
lovely
beauties
gorjious shamii
the godfather
lovely couple
the A team