Koitalel – The Mighty Prophet

Oorgoiyot – leader of the Nandi. A proud and powerful people who claim the ancient Egyptians as their hereditary ancestors. Son of Oorgoiyot Kimnyole arap Turukat, Koitalel arap Samoei was sent to live amongst the Keiyo by his father who had received a prophesy of danger for his four sons. Koitalel’s three older brothers grew up amongst the Kipsigis and we can only surmise that they did not have strong brotherly bonds. When Kimnoyle died, Koitalel had to fight for the right of succession against his brother Kipchombe arap Koilege. He prevailed and he became leader of his people – only to learn that the battles were just beginning.

Koitalel was named Oorgoiyot in 1896, at a time when the British were just starting their incursion into Kenya. The lands of the Nandi were fertile, cool and rich – immensely attractive to the invaders. In defiance of those who would seek to strip them of their land Koitalel led the Nandi people fought the British in the longest campaign of the colonial period. For twelve years Koitalel led his people successfully in battle, holding the British at bay from the land of the Nandi. The fights were ferocious but it seems that this was the very reason that Koitalel had been blessed as Oorgoiyot.

The great leader was a perpetual thorn in the flesh of the colonisers and they resorted to underhanded tactics to try and win the never ending battles. Koitalel was invited to peace talks by the British in October 1905. The representative of the colonials was Richard Meinertzhagen, a British army officer responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Kenyans at the turn of the century, who blatantly operated beyond any military code.

The Oorgoiyot arrived with his retinue, but it was not clear who the leader was. Stretching out his hand in an apparent welcome Meinertzhagen learned who the leader was as Koitalel moved forward to shake his hand and begin the truce talks. But Meinertzhagen quickly pulled out a revolver and shot the Oorgoiyot at close range killing him instantly. Others within the delegation were also gunned down though a handful escaped to tell the story of the shameful murder.

The spirit of the Nandi people was broken that day – October 19th 1905, and so began a slow infiltration into their lands that lasted over half a century.

The heroism of Koitalel was never forgotten though and a monument stands in his memory and all that he stood and fought for in Nandi Hills