Nandi Resistance

The close of the 19th century, a time referred to as the "pacification period" by Matson, saw a number of local populations that resisted British colonial rule.

[3] In the later decades of the 19th century, at the time when the early European explorers started advancing into the interior of Kenya, Nandi territory was a closed country.

Thompson in 1883 was warned to avoid the country of the Nandi, who were known for attacks on strangers and caravans that would attempt to scale the great massif of the Mau.

Like many other indigenous cultures, Kalenjin prophets foretold the coming of the white man and among the Nandi, Mongo and the Orkoiyot Kimnyole's prophesies were the most notable examples.

West, an alleged gun-runner who has been described in historical literature as a "continual drunk", arrived at Mumias on 20 March 1895 and soon got into partnership with Dick, a "choleric" trader who had set up trading posts from the coast to Lake Victoria.

The East Africa Protectorate, Foreign Office, and missionary societies administrations reacted to West's death by organizing military expeditions against the Nand in 1895 and 1897.

[5] For the Nandi, the closing decade of the nineteenth century opened with the execution of Kimnyole on a variety of charges followed by a struggle for power between his sons.

The [Orkoiyot] had by now gained prominence as an institution and this struggle for power split the society into factions, and conflict broke out though did not extend to full-fledge civil war.

They note that raids on the Uasin Gishu Maasai and their nearby tribes were frequent, and that mail runners and isolated stragglers from caravans were still attacked and murdered.

Hobley the sub-commissioner of the district was that "The Wanandi, with the exception of a few in the vicinity of the station, have all along viewed our presence in the country with veiled repugnance...we were unwittingly living on the edge of a volcano.".

Reports indicate that as works continued on the railway line, thefts of ironwork, telegraph wire and stores of all descriptions from unguarded construction camps increased.

[citation needed] Further encounters are recorded in early August when an escort party of 20 Sudanese was annihilated while accompanying the dawn mail to Fort Ternan.

Evatt received news of the whereabouts of Kipeles and Koitalel, the two Nandi leaders primarily responsible for the resistance and decided to attack before they could escape.

The first under Colour-Sergent James Ellison, R.M.L.I marched east over the Nyando river, attacked a 'boma' (i.e ñganaset) early the following day, inflicted severe losses on the Nandi and returned to camp before nightfall.

Shortly afterwards one of these smoldering campfires was suddenly blown into a blaze, and simultaneously Nandi warriors attacked the camp in three parties.

[11] The British Foreign Office, expressed criticism on the ground that some regular forces in the Nandi area had been replaced by Maasai irregulars.