Soldiers guard Mau Mau fighters behind barbed wires, in October 1952, in the Kikuyu reserve. The 'rebels' fought from October 1952 to December 1959 against the British colonial rule in Kenya. Photo/FILE
By NATION REPORTER, Tuesday, June 4 2013
The Law Society of Kenya has received lists of ex-Mau Mau fighters seeking compensation running into billions of shillings from the British Government.
LSK chief executive Apollo Mboya said two law firms involved in the compensation suits complied with a formal request to supply the lists.
“Miller and Company Advocates (on behalf of Tandem Law in the UK) have sent us a list of over 8,000 former Mau Mau Fighters who are their clients,” he said.
The list was released following a resolution after a boardroom meeting on Saturday at Panafric Hotel in Nairobi.
The law firms were also to supply LSK with legal papers – within two weeks - of the compensation suits filing in the UK.
LSK convened the meeting to resolve raging disputes between local and UK law firms representing the former freedom fighters in compensation suits in UK courts. (READ: LSK seeks to resolve Mau Mau dispute)
“We will follow the proceedings of the compensation cases filed in UK Courts and also the professional conduct of the lawyers involved to ensure the victims are adequately compensated,” said Mr Mboya.
Mr Mboya also said that Tandem Law supplied the LSK with a claim form for the High Court of Justice Queens Bench Division Case No 13X02162.
“They also sent us pleadings (legal documents) relating to the said Case No. 13X02162 involving Eloise Mukami Kimathi and Others Versus The Foreign and Commonwealth Office,” he said.
Tandem Law (UK) is in collaboration with local law firms Miller & Company Advocates and P.K Kamau & Company Advocates.
Mr Mboya said British Firm G.T Law Solicitors working with local law firm Rabala & Company Advocates has also provided LSK with their client list of over 700 ex-Mau Mau fighters.
“We are now awaiting another list from the Kenya Human Rights Commission which is represented in the UK by the Law Firm of Leigh Day,” Mr. Mboya said.
Mr Mboya said that KHRC had requested for time to contact their lawyers (Leigh Day) in the UK before releasing the list of their clients to the LSK.
He said that KHRC - through Leigh Day - filed Case Number HQ09X02666 at the English High Court for compensation due to torture and other inhumane acts caused by officials and agents of the British Government during the colonial period in Kenya.
“The case is being litigated by the Law Firm of Leigh Day and Company which is based in London, United Kingdom,” he said
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