Meinertzhagen: Nemesis of the Nandi and Kikuyu People of Kenya

                                                   A pipe smoking Meinertzhagen: Wikipedia commons

Meinertzhagen's task - to protect the settlers

Meinertzhagen, British to the core despite his German surname, was the son of a powerful banker and a career soldier. After stints in India and Burma, he lobbied hard for an African posting — a desire that, history shows, came with a readiness to treat Africans as game to be hunted. In 1902, he arrived in the British East Africa Protectorate, serving four years with the King’s African Rifles.

Under Commissioner Sir Charles Eliot, the Protectorate became a settler’s paradise and a nightmare for its indigenous peoples. Eliot scrapped immigration limits, recruited white farmers from South Africa, and declared that the Maasai and other tribes “must go under.” By 1904, settlers numbered over 300. Meinertzhagen’s job was to enforce the colonial order — ensuring that the dispossessed obeyed laws written to protect those who had taken their land.

Meinertzhagen's Zeal in His Duties

Of all his achievements, it was Meinertzhagen's treatment of Africans that make him stick out like a sore thumb. In his period, the British administrators of the East African Protectorate were trying to ‘pacify’ Africans in order to create an environment of peaceful trading and farming in a modern cash economy. Pacify meant not only obeying all commands from the invaders, but also relinquishing rights to land, free speech, movement and self defense. The Uganda Railway had just been built and it needed to bring in some revenue to justify its cost. For a treatise on the building of this railway, read ‘the Lunatic Express.’

Previously, Africans were free to raid each other for livestock in a subsistence economy where barter was the mode for exchanging goods. The warriors of the various communities whose traditional schools had no other curriculum but that inherited from their forefathers for millenia saw it as their duty to harass and raid the newcomers as well as their enemies. But the winds of change had started to whistle much earlier than Churchill’s famous statement. The British had started to lay the foundations of a modern state and no more spurring would be tolerated. The two communities that gave the British the biggest headache were the Kikuyu in Central Kenya and the Nandi in the Rift Valley. Lenana of the Maasai proved to be less trouble than had been expected. In his deathbed, it is claimed that he instructed the Maasai to abide by the rules of the White man, including accepting to be relocated. Perhaps in his wisdom, he had seen the futility of fighting the British with traditional weapons.

Brutal Resistance to British Rule

The colonial government introduced many regulations including the much hated hut tax. A household had to pay a given sum of money for each hut in the compound. Punishment was by punitive expeditions against entire recalcitrant communities which was really an official cattle rustling exercise, with pacification as the long term goal.

Meinertzhagen and the Kikuyu

Kikuyu warriors like their Nandi counterparts did not take pacification lying down. They ambushed caravans and dispatched traders, porters and askaris (African policemen) with unrivaled brutality. This included mutilating the cadavers and as can be imagined, the prisoners as well. Their spears, clubs and poisoned arrows were an arsenal to reckon with in the dense foliage that surrounded every Kikuyu settlement. When Meinertzhagen and his troops went on a punitive mission after an incident, no life was spared, regardless of the fact that women and children had no control over the warriors.

Deadly Punitive Expeditions

The Kikuyu, were a large community and some clans were far removed from Nairobi and the Railway station that it was difficult for the Government to have total control over them. This was especially so in the Northern parts of Kikuyu country such as Nyeri and outlying districts. That is where professional soldiers like Meinertzhagen came in. At one time he ordered every living thing in a Kikuyu village eliminated except children. Shooting and bayoneting was the modus operandi. The huts were razed to the ground. Live ammunition was even fired into bushes and tree tops to ensure no one survived the massacre. In a bid to justify his actions in the ending of human life, he wrote in his diaries that he had never believed “in the sanctity of human life or in the dignity of the human race...”

In one three pronged raid through Mathira, Kutus and Iria-ini, Meinertzhagen estimated the dead Kikuyu at 1500, but his two companions, Captain Dickson and Humphrey refused to give official figures. It is likely that the numbers were so high that only Meinertzhagen would dare to hazard a deliberately underestimated guess. Meinertzhagen alone, confiscated 782 cattle and 2,150 sheep. This booty was shared among the members of the force.

By cotrast, C. W. Hobley who once operated in Western Kenya, was more human in spite of having the same ‘pacification objective. In one punitive action in far flung Ugenya, 200 Kager warriors were eliminated, 2500 head of cattle and 10000 sheep confiscated by forces led by Hobley. A second punitive expedition forced the Luo to accept British rule rather than be annihilated. These figures would have trebled had Meinertzhagen's been the one in Ugenya.

Meinertzhagen against the Tetu Kikuyu

In one punitive expedition around December of 1902, described by Prof Muriuki, a two pronged attack was made against the Kikuyu of Tetu. Meinertzhagen advanced from Naivasha, while the sub Commissioner Hinde approached from Mbiri (later called Fort Hall). The Tetu had pounced on a caravan of Goan traders and eliminated them all. On the first day, Meinertzhagen suffered only light casualties while he dispatched 22 Kikuyu warriors. On the second day, the Tetu launched two devastating attacks in a bid to rout the forces that had captured their livestock. The invading British force lost four soldiers, while fourteen Maasai mercenaries and seven porters were wounded. This turn of events rattled and shocked the seasoned KAR soldier. Meinertzhagen was to write in his diary that “I never expected the Wakikuyu to fight like this.”

Meinertzhagen made a tactical withdrawal in order to recruit 200 more Maasai spear men. Two days later, Meinertzhagen was able to pacify the Tetu without further loss of life on either side, through an act of treachery by the Kikuyu against their own. The Leader of the Tetu by the name Gakere and one of his sons were captured by turncoats and handed over to Meinertzhagen. It is noteworthy that the colonialists’ troops had Kikuyu warriors from Kabete and others from Chief Karuri’s territory. As was the custom in punitive expeditions which have been described here as ‘cattle rustling,’ in disguise, the Kikuyu of Tetu lost hundreds of cattle and thousands of sheep and goats in the mopping up operation that followed Gakere’s capture and deportation to Kismayu (in modern day Somalia).

Reasons for Punitive Raids Were often Falsified

One reason given by Meinertzhagen for one of his raids punitive raid against the Kikuyu is perplexing. He reported that a section of the Kikuyu had captured a settler, pegged him to the ground. Men, women and children of the village had thereafter proceeded to urinate in the poor man’s mouth until he drowned. This is a very unlikely story.

Kikuyu society was so structured that uncircumcised children would not have been in the same scene with initiated warriors. A warrior would not have bared himself in front of women nor would he have kept the company of seniors that were already grandparents. Uninitiated girls kept their own company as did initiated women. Women with children were another class, and those with grand children, the Nyankinyua were in the most senior women’s age set.

The scene that was painted by Meinertzhagen was unpalatable to the Kikuyu. If he had suggested that the action was by warriors alone, it might have been believable. Meinertzhagen, knowing too well that his real reason was cattle rustling and that it would not go well with the administration, concocted a scene that would be revolting to the settler community.

Meinertzhagen Against Baboons.

At one time a baboon from a large troop attacked Meinertzhagen’s pet dog. Our KAR soldier took some time to ponder over what action to take. Eventually, and with a clear mind, he gave ammunition to his foot soldiers and together they proceeded to annihilate the entire troop. The Kenya wildlife service and the numerous animal rights groups that we have today would have seen to it that he served some jail term with a hefty fi

Meinertzhagen and Warthog Torturing Sport

Meinertzhagen had many feathers in his cap. The most innocuous of these feathers was undoubtedly his introduction of a spot called ‘pig sticking’ in Europe. The sportsmen would present themselves in an area where warthogs were in abundance. Armed with a bamboo pole that had a metal lance on one end, they would wait until a warthog left its burrow to browse. They would then surprise the poor animal and proceed to lance their sharp sticks at it as it fled in panic.

Meinertzhagen would later import proper lances as the sport picked momentum. Needless to say, the gross sport had no sportswomen. Fortunately for animal lovers, the sport went into early extinction and the warthog population continued to proliferate. It is ironical that the giant forest hog – Hylochoerus meinertzhageni was discovered and named after the pig sticking enthusiast, a feat that will raise eyebrows when other facts about him come to light. Meinertzhagen also has species of birds and ‘bird lice’ to his credit.

Origins of the Pig-Sticking Sport

Pig Sticking as a sport was not Meinertzhagen’s invention. It was originally a sport for women on horseback in England. The riders did not hunt a live pig but a staffed sack which they attempted to spear at full gallop. Staffed sacks were too boring for the wild men who preceded Meinertzhagen. The ingredient of a live pig was added for that extra surge of adrenalin.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, military authorities supported it because it helped the soldier to develop “a good eye, a steady hand, a firm seat, a cool head and a courageous heart.” An unlikely support for the game came from Baden Powel (he of the Scout Movement who died and was buried in Nyeri, Kenya). Baden reportedly said that,

“Not only is pig-sticking the most exciting and enjoyable sport for both the man and horse as well, but I really believe that the boar enjoys it too.”

The Nandi and Meinertzhagen

Another group that resisted British authorities and were handled in the same brutal manner as the Kikuyu were the Nandi. On one occasion when the District Commissioner had sent a messenger to collect hut tax from the Nandi, his head had been brought back in a sack as the tax. This murder was among the many killings of stragglers in caravans besides attacks on settlers and government agents. The railway line had also been vandalized from time to time as a mine for copper wire and other metals.

Death of a Missionary

In one brazen incident an American Quaker lost his life to the Nandi and it was only a matter of time before the authorities sent Meinertzhagen and his troops to sort out the matter. When he eventually arrived, the Nandi had so much contempt for a British official that even children threw stones at his roof to create enormous noise. They obviously did not know the character of the fellow they were dealing with. When Meinertzhagen sent his servants to catch some of them and lock them up, he wrote in his diary that they confessed to having been sent by the Laibon (a medicine man and seer) to harass him. Again, considering the social structures of the Nandi, which were similar to those of the Kikuyu, it is highly unlikely that a Laibon would stoop so low as to discuss tactical issue with children. It is more likely that the children, having seen how their community dealt with people they considered as intruders, had acted under the direction of leaders in their own age sets. It is to be expected that children can make a false confession under duress.

The Role of a Laibon

The Maasai and Nandi Laibons were spiritual leaders who guided the their communities on religious, social and military matters. They also had the power to foresee the future. If a Laibon blessed the warriors and asked them to attack a certain place, they would have no choice. If he asked them not to attack, regardless of their own investigation or intuition, they would not attack. A Laibon’s influence on warriors was enormous and Meinertzhagen had rightly determined that the warriors had the blessings of the old man in the constant harassment of settlers, caravans and government agents.

the Antagonists - Koitalel and Meinertzhagen

Meinertzhagen’s account of what happened between him and Koitalel was noted in his infamous diaries. It is likely that he flavored his notes to gain favor from his employers. It seemed he had decided quite early that the only way to sort out the Nandi question was to eliminate Kotalel arap Samoei, an action that would demoralize the warriors. The community would henceforth be amenable to the wishes of the Government. But, as we shall see later, even the colonial government had its doubts about his account of the events.

The Nandi Account of the Death of Koitalel

The Nandi claim that Meinertzhagen invited the Laibon for a peace treaty. The unsuspecting Koitalel agreed and arrived unarmed with a small retinue of warriors and councilors. Suddenly, Meinertzhagen shot him at point blank range and severed his head. The entire retinue accompanying Koitalel was murdered. When the people came to collect the body, they found a headless torso. Apparently Meinertzhagen had departed with Koitalel’s head and his staff of office.

Meinertzhagen’s Version of Koitalel’s Demise

According to Meinertzhagen, the Laibon had all along plotted to eliminate him. First he had sent a girl with some gifts as a peace overture. The gifts had among them a poison that would have been used in Meinertzhagen’s food. Apparently, Meinertzhagen’s interpreter was a spy who had been giving intelligence to the Laibon and would have ensured the success of the assassination plot.

Meinertzhagen’s Spies

Unknown to the Laibon, Meinertzhagen had his own spies within the Nandi camp who alerted him long in advance. When the girl arrived with the gifts, a search was made and the poison was confiscated. With the plot now in the open, the girl fell to her knees and confessed. Meinertzhagen was ouched by her repentance and so forgave her and let her go. Undeterred by the failure of the mission, Koitalel continued to send cunning peace overtures.

Meinertzhagen claims that he got tired of the Laibon’s intransigence and agreed to a meeting on 19^th October 1905. The pre-meeting agreement was that both Koitalel and his adversary be accompanied by no more than five unarmed assistants. However, Meinertzhagen claimed that he had information that the agreement was just a ploy to have him neutralized.

The Doomed Meeting

In Meinertzhagen’s own words, Koitalel showed up with armed warriors, and many more lying in wait among the surrounding bushes. Apparently one could even see the glistening spears, a white lie because the African spear heads are black and do not glisten. Koitalel stopped at a distance and asked Meinertzhagen to move closer. Not accustomed to taking orders from ‘natives’, Meinertzhagen declined. At that point, he claimed that Koitalel gave a signal with his hand and arrows came flying from all around. He claimed that only one of the arrows entered harmlessly into his shirt sleeve. Had Meinertzhagen been an anthropologist, he would have restructured his story to show some respect to trained Nandi warriors.

Who Killed the Nandi Laibon

Meinertzhagen claimed that he is not sure whether it was his gun or that of one of his askaris that killed Koitalel. He remembers running back to his camp with his askaris under a hail of arrows and spears. It is unlikely that Meinertzhagen would have planned so poorly for the meeting, with all his experience in military campaigns. How had someone who was running for his life under a hail of arrows and spears manage to acquire Koitalel’s staff and club, then have them shipped to London as trophies? Like all hunters worth their weight in gold, Meinertzhagen had wanted trophies and he had got them. This artifacts were only returned to Kenya in 2006 after much pressure from the Nandi and the Kenya government.

Meinertzhagen’s Loss of Face

It was hard to believe that Meinertzhagen had not lured the Laibon then killed him in cold blood. Not even his superiors believed his version of even. Even after several court inquiries had cleared him the Koitalel murder eventually cost him his job. The British colonial government decided that his continued service was undesirable. If you expected Meinertzhagen to take up a benign sport like golf upon retirement, you are wrong.

Meinertzhagen proceeded to join the new state of Israel as a soldier. On the day that he killed three Arabs, he recorded in his diaries that “altogether I had a glorious day...”

The Prophetic Side of Meinertzhagen

We cannot end the Meinertzhagen story without showing his humane side. In all this blood letting, Meinertzhagen was quick to note that the country belonged to the Africans, pointing at the use of cheap labor by the white settlers as most unfair. Meinertzhagen continued that one day the African will be educated and will soon claim their rights.

“I am convinced that in the end the African will win.”

About the Koitalel trophies, it is claimed that he told his inheritors that “the owners will one day come for them and when they do, return them.”

And so it happened in 2006 that Koitalel’s staff of office and his club were returned to Kenya swhere they are displayed in the Koitalel Museum in Nandi hills. Koitalel’s head has never been found.

Meinertzhagen lived to hear of Kenya’s independence in December of 1963. He died four years late on 17^th June, 1967 aged 89.

References

Miller, C., 1971, The Lunatic Express

Meinertzhagen R., Kenya Diary (1902-1906)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Meinertzhagen

Garfield B., 2007, The Meinertzhagen Mystery: the life and legend of the colossal fraud

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First published at Hubpages in 2023