Sotik Massacre

In June 1905, 1,850 ethnic Kipsigis men, women and children were killed in a punitive expedition dubbed Sotik expedition by the colonial British government forces led by Major Richard Pope-Hennessy. This was as a result of a raid by the Kipsigis on the Maasai which saw the Kipsigis part with Maasai cows, women and children to which the government demanded redress and return of the spoils of the raid but to which the Kipsigis returned in insults and turned down the warning. In effect, this led to alienation of tribal land to what would become part of Kenyan White Highlands.

The Kipsigis

The Kipsigis are one of Kenya's 47 tribes and together with Nandi, Tugen, Marakwet, Sengwer, Pokot and Sebei, they make up the Kalenjin ethnic identity. Their origin is estimated to about 18th century as a break away group from the Nandi which occupied southern portions of Nandi Hills and today's Kipekelion and Belgut constituencies in Kericho County. Their population would however multiply and due to their warring attributes, they would go on to assimilate many groups from Maasai, Luo and Kisii.

By late 19th century, their military efforts had seen the Kipsigis expulse the Massai, Luo and Abagusii and dispossessed their claim upon the land and looted their livestock and crops. This was especially as a result of military efforts and leadership by commanders including Menya Araap Kisiara and the three brothers of Koitalel Araap Samoei (Kipchomber araap Koilege, Chebochok Kiptonui arap Boisio and Kibuigut). By the time of the arrival of the British, the Kipsigis were exclusively occupying what is today's Bomet county, Kericho County, Narok West Constituency and parts of Nakuru and Nyamira counties.

The Massacre

Shortly after the creation of Maasai reserve and relocation of some of the ethnic Maasai as a result, the Kipsigis raided the Maasai and stole cattle, women and children. Attempts to negotiate the return of the Masai captives, and their cattle failed, and provoked The British East Africa Protectorate government to organise an expedition, against the Sotik. The punitive raid was led by Major Richard Pope-Hennessy and killed 1,850 men, women, and children. While recovering 20,000 head of cattle, along with a number of captive Masai Women and children.

The expedition was reported, in London, as follows:

British East Africa called for peace negotiations between the Nandi and the British following a protracted 10-year long guerrilla resistance. Upon their meeting, Richard Meinheirtzhagen shot Koitalel Araap Samoei point blank in the head thus ending the resistance.

Impacts and Implications

Following the attainment of the mission objectives and their success, medal of honours were awarded to officers who took part in the operation. The party had been allocated £20,000 but following their raid, they seized 20,000 head of cattle to which each was sold at £3 thus amounting to £60,000 which was £40,000 in profit.

It was also as a result of both the assassination of Orkoiyot Koitalel Araap Samoei and the massacres of Sotik and Nandi that the British administration felt that all of Talai clansmen should be exiled. This operation saw hundreds of Talai clan members living among the Kipsigis evacuated to Rusinga island in Kisumu where many of them died due to malaria and became subject to pedigree collapse as there were no unrelated choices for pairing. Apparently, the three brothers of Koitalel were handed life exile in Fort Hall, Nyeri until their deaths.

Redress

In August 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Claudia Webbe, Member of Parliament for Leicester East wrote in a letter addressed to UK's Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson about Sotik Massacre and asked that the massacre should be taught in British schools. In 2023, Kenyan Professor Paul Chepkwony stated:

"The Sotik massacre has been erased from the history books, not just of the United Kingdom but from Kenya as well. The slaughter of some 1850 men, women and children would today be classified as genocide and a crime against humanity. In 1905, Colonel Hennessey, used a Maxine Machine gun to conduct this slaughter. This massacre was used to terrorise the Kipsigi people and evict them illegally from their ancestral homeland. The colonialists justified this ethnic cleansing by stating that the 'well watered white Highlands were fit to raise a European child'. Approximately 100,000 Talai people were forcibly removed to Gwasi, which they knew was unfit for human habitation. This was heartless racism of the highest order."

References

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Massacres in 1905
Massacres committed by the United Kingdom
Massacres in Kenya
20th-century mass murder in Kenya
1900s murders in Kenya
1905 in Kenya
Punitive expeditions of the United Kingdom
Kipsigis people
Discrimination in Kenya
Massacres of ethnic groups
Ethnic cleansing in Africa
Anti-black racism in Africa
Deaths by firearm in Kenya
1900s mass shootings
Mass shootings in Kenya
Reprisals