The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has now received lists of ex-Mau Mau fighters seeking compensation running into billions of shillings from the British Government.
LSK Secretary Apollo Mboya confirmed on Tuesday that two law firms handling the compensation suits had complied with a formal request by the LSK to supply the lists.
Miller & 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,” Mboya said.
Mboya also revealed that British Firm G.T Law Solicitors working with local law firm Rabala and Company Advocates has also furnished LSK with their client list of over 700 ex-Mau Mau fighters.
“We are now awaiting another list from the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) which is represented in the UK by the law firm of Leigh Day,” Mboya said.
Mboya said that KHRC had requested for time to contact their lawyers (Leigh Day) in the UK before releasing the list of their clients.
The lists of former Mau Mau fighters seeking compensation in the UK have been released to the LSK following a resolution after a meeting on Saturday at Panafric Hotel in Nairobi.
LSK convened the meeting to resolve disputes between local and UK law firms representing the former freedom fighters in compensation suits in UK courts.
“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.”Mboya said.
The law firms were also expected to supply LSK with legal papers of the compensation suits filed in the UK within two weeks.
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,” Mboya added.
Tandem Law (UK) is in collaboration with local law firms Miller & Company Advocates and PK Kamau and Company Advocates.
He said that the 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.
