THE ORIGIN OF THE TALAI CLAN
Today the Talai clan is composed of sub-clans – Kapturgat, Kapsonet, Kapsogon, Kapchesang, Kaptabole/Kaptanyko and Kamararsoi. Kapturgat are descended from Turugat – the father of Kimyolei and grandfather of Koitalel araap Samoei. Kapturugat are split further into Kaptalelyoi family cluster which is found mainly in the Nandi branch and some in the Kipsigis branch.
Between these are hundreds of individuals all of whom collectively refer to themselves as the Talai. The sub-clans are only different based on the original head of the household. However, they are all descended from a single branch of the greater tree.
The Kipsigis Talai (here in after also referred to as Orgoiik and Laibons) is one of the Kipsigis clans whose immediate origin is said to be Nandi. They moved to Kipsigis country just before the advent of Colonialism, the exact date of movement is still in dispute though available works put it to be early 1890s.
Reaching Kipsigis country the Talai leaders grafted onto the existing Kipsigis social, economic and political Institutions.
The genesis of the Kipsigis Talai is obscure, different writers and researchers have different versions. However, one common thing that all have said is that the Talai, (Orgoiik, Laibons) originated from the Maasai and that was why they were also known as the Laibons by the colonialists (the name that has remained with them to-date). The Maasai Laibons are their cousins; Inkidongi, Supet, Mbatian, Ole-nana and Sendeu. The Talais are thought to have been from two brothers, Kobogoi and Barsabotwo.
The author having done extensive research and oral interview of various elders of 'Maina and Chumo' age sets and old women (those born between 1909 and 1924), the traditional legend has it that;
The Talai lived among the Rendile People and can be traced further to the Galla and Oromo of Ethiopia. They lived with the Laikipia Maasai the Samburu, after migrating from Ilkek in Naivasha led by Loleiyo who had disagreed with his father Lumenya about settlement problem. Before that, just like the rest of the Kalenjins who came from the 'North' (Misir/Burgei-Egypt) they are thought to have come from Abbyssinia (Ethiopia). The Maasai after noticing the 'skills' of these people accepted them and they were called 'Laibons' (Seers).
After some time, there came a famine due to drought and a disease similar to rinderpest, which depleted most of the Maasai animals. Because of the power struggle and that, the Maasai started dying of a mysterious disease; the Laikipia Maasai clans started fighting amongst themselves. Each clan was blaming the other as the cause of the misfortunes. The Laibons therefore were affected by the fighting, because of this some few Laibons ran away from this place and went to Tugenland then later to Sirikwaland where there were some Maasai known as the Uasin Gishu.
The Laibons lived there with the Maasai for some time until there was another fighting between the Uasin Gishu Maasai ('Sigilai ab Kipchoi' as were called by the Nandis) and a section of Nandis. However, some Maasai moved towards Elgon and some towards Eldama Ravine, others to Nakuru, Londiani, Molo and as far as Elbargon. There was a woman with twin boys who could have been the wife of one of the Laibons, Kopukso a cousin of Ole-nana and Sendeu. She escaped the killing and lived in a salt-lick cave in the Nandi area called Kepen near Olessos (Lessos).
The woman stayed in the cave with the twin boys, Kobogoi and Barsabotwo. While staying in the cave two lions came to stay with them mysteriously and in fact, the lions protected them and even brought some animals they had killed to the woman and her children. This continued for a long time until one time the Nandis discovered these people staying in the cave and that surprisingly the lions did not hurt them (the totem of the Talai is 'Lion'). The Nandis could not reach them in the cave because of the lions. After some time, the mother narrated to them about the past and why they were staying in the cave.
One time the boys noticed the Nandi men and they came and told their mother that they had seen some people. The mother told the boys not to be seen by them because they might kill them. The mother even narrated to them how their people were killed by the Nandis and how they escaped the killing. From then, the two young boys started being inquisitive and started to monitor the Nandi men.
Meanwhile the Nandi warriors had passed a message to their people about the people staying in the cave with lions.
THE MOTHER AND THE TWINS GOING TO NANDILAND
One time when the lions had gone hunting, Kobogoi managed to sneak out and he met the Nandi warriors. The warriors asked him why they were staying in the cave, who they were and why the lions were not harming them but instead, seemed to be protecting them.
Kobogoi then narrated what the mother had told them and how they escaped the killing. From then on Kobogoi started friendship with the warriors, when he told the mother about them she was not amused. She even told Kobogoi that even if the Nandis were not harmful, the lions would not allow them to go because they were all like a 'family', and for this, Kobogoi told her not to worry because he would 'communicate' with the lions and ask the lions to allow them go with the Nandis.
Kobogoi told the warriors that for the lions to allow them to go, the warriors were to bring the lions animals to feast on. This was done and Kobogoi 'communicated' with the lions and they eventually went with the Nandis. The Nandis then named these people TALAI, ('Talai gotuber eng kepen'- gentle lions (Talai) in Kepen cave), because the lions were harmless to them. The trio then went to stay with one clan of the Nandis. The mother got married to a man from that clan. The boys then started to look after cattle with other Nandi boys.
A drought came, rivers and streams dried up such that cattle were being taken far away for water. Apparently, while other boys were taking their animals to a river which was far away, Kobogoi was not taking his cows to where the others were taking theirs, people started to notice that Kobogoi's animals looked healthier than the rest. When elders asked the other boys why Kobogoi's cows were healthier, they also, said that they did not know why and even said that Kobogoi was not always with them at the river.
The elders then told the other boys to monitor Kobogoi and when it was the time to take the animals to the river one boy stayed back to check on what Kobogoi would do. Kobogoi as usual took his animals to a valley where a stream used to be, he used his stick to strike the ground, and water started coming from the ground. His animals then started to drink the water and when they had had enough, Kobogoi struck the ground again with his stick and the water disappeared.
While this was happening, the boy who was monitoring Kobogoi became very scared and excited, when he got home, he narrated the incident to the elders. They were all surprised and they even asked one elder to confirm. So the next day the elder and the boy followed Kobogoi, and Kobogoi did what he always do.
The elder then told the other people what he had seen, everybody was surprised and excited. They decided that the two boys should not look after the animals but instead should be groomed for leadership positions. The man who married Kobogoi's mother was asked to mention to Kobogoi what had been discovered of him and what the elders had decided. At first Kobogoi refused to accept but after some persuasion he obliged and even revealed that he had some 'super-natural' powers and that he could 'communicate' with ASIS (God). The elders then decided that the two boys should be circumcised then get married. This was done and the two youths were made the 'Orgoiik' (leaders) of the Nandis.
The Nandis had diviners whom they referred to as 'Orgoiik'- last Nandi Orgoiyot was arap Chelilei who was routed out (as Nandi raids were no longer successful) and replaced by the Maasai Laibon, Kobogoi who was wiser and more powerful than the existing petty Orgoiik of Kamwaike and Kapchemuri clans. From then on the Nandis started becoming a stronger tribe and wealthy because of the 'skills' of Kobogoi, no tribe could fight the Nandis and win. Kobogoi was made to be the Nandi's 'Laibon' or 'Orgoiyot' (spiritual leader and seer). Kobogoi after he got married had sons, one of them was Turugat. This book will dwell mainly on Turugat as some of his family members eventually moved to Kipsigisland.
The newly arrived Maasai Laibons introduced more and organized leadership ideas and practices connected with the Maasai Laibons. The Nandi country was divided into districts (Pororosiek). The whole country acknowledged the overloardship of the Orgoiyot and the other called 'Kiruogindet' a sot of spokesman chosen by the people. The 'Kiruogik' (counselors) were responsible to the Orgoiyot through 'Maotik' (messengers). The Laibons wielded considerable political power, the right to grant or withhold approval for example, raiding operations, planting of crops, etc.
For all the undertakings, the Laibon had to be consulted by 'Pororosiek' councils concerned. When Kobogoi died, Turugat took over the leadership and by then the Nandis were a feared tribe. Turugat then became the next Nandi 'Laibon' (Orgoiyot). He also had a son Kipnyolei Barbarani arap Turugat who took over as the Nandi 'Orgoiyot' (Laibon) when Turugat died.
However, the Laibons were not invincible and not above the laid down customary laws. In many other matters, they had little direct power or indirect influence. They could not for example, interfere with proceeding before the courts or intervene in the choice of local leaders and when their decisions were considered harmful to the general weal, they were clubbed to death using sharp sticks from a certain tree locally called 'Kipkoimetiet'.
The most important single event of such nature against a leader of this whole period was the clubbing of Orgoiyot Kipnyolei arap Turugat in about 1890 by his own Nandi people. The murder of the Nandi Orgoiyot Kipnyolei arap Turugat in 1890 marked a turning point in the history of the Talai community.
THE KILLING OF ARAP TURUGAT AND ITS RESULTS
Arap Turugat led Nandis for along time and the Nandis became rich and prosperous. They were a feared tribe because their raids were always successful. Arap Turugat had several wives and as such had a number of sons. Some of the sons who were significant were, Kipchomber arap Koilegen, Kipngetich arap Boisio, Singoei Kibuigut arap Barbarani and Koitalel Samoei, they were of different mothers.
Perhaps it would be prudent to describe in detail what led to the murder of Orgoiyot Kipnyolei arap Turugat in 1890, how it was done and with what results, for it was this single event that made some Talai to move to Kipsigis country and establish themselves as Kipsigis Orgoiik rulers.
It all started when arap Turugat advanced in age, some Nandi 'Pororiosek' mainly Kamelilo, became enraged by the failure of arap Turugat to protect them from natural calamities and to ensure the success of the combined raids against the Luos, Luyia and Pokots. Arap Turugat had advised Nandi warriors not to eat a dead animal when coming back from a Pokot raid, which was successful. They came with the livestock and on the way they found a dead black 'bull' (which turned out to be a buffalo), some feasted on it, not knowing that the dead bull was infected with anthrax, and in clear defiance of Orgoiyot's advice. Reaching Nandi, the warriors who ate the meat of the dead animal became sick and died, the animals from Pokot also died. This was because the dead animal they found on their way to Nandi had anthrax, hence, those who ate and the cows they came with contracted the disease.
Also, Nandis had another raid in Luoland even though arap Turugat had warned them not to go, the warriors were about five hundred in number and only two returned, the rest were killed. This infuriated the Nandis so much, to make the matters worse, a drought came, which wiped their animals, an epidemic (something like small pox) infected the Nandis, and they died in great numbers. It was then claimed by a section of Nandis of Kamelilo that arap Turugat could not perform his "work" as he used to do. They said that arap Turugat could have used his super-natural powers to prevent the disasters.
The Nandis then started to discuss about the misfortunes and some elders were asked to approach Samoei whom they thought to be ambitious to take over the leadership although younger than arap Koilegen who was to take over his father, as he was the eldest son as required by the tradition.
Somoei's mother Taprator came from the Kamelilo clan and was liked by arap Turugat possibly because she was the youngest wife.
Traditionally the old man should have passed the the blessings of the leadership to the eldest son, arap Koilegen. The Kamelilo clan must have played a big role in trying to convince their daughter (Samoei's mother) to have the leadership blessings passed to Samoei. This could have been so because Samoei who seemed ambitious, when requested to take over the leadership position told the elders of Kamelilo that he could not take over the leadership while his father was still alive. Some Nandis then agreed that arap Turugat's government should be 'overthrown' by killing him to let his son Samoei take over the leadership.
Sensing the danger of rebellion among the Nandi, arap Turugat convened a meeting at which he and his 'maotik' (advisers), right up to Kipsigisland attended. This was the first meeting. In the meeting, he advised his sons to move away from Nandi. Samoei was to go and divine among the Keiyo and Tugen, while, Kipchomber arap Koilegen, Kipngetich arap Boisio and Kibuigut were to move to Kipsigisland.
At one time when arap Turugat was sleeping in his house (Samoei mother's house), he dropped down from his bed 'itok' (traditional bed) and when the wife tried to hold him, he asked, "Why are you holding me for your Kamelilo people to kill me?" The wife could not understand what he was saying.
The following day the old man requested her to prepare traditional beer and he sent for his 'maotik' (messengers) from Nandi, Tugen and Kipsigis to come to his place. This was the second meeting. This second meeting was important because he intended to net one of his sons who was alleged to be in collusion with the Nandi in the death plot. The Nandi and Kipsigis Maotik attended. When the day of the feast came, he instructed the beer pot to be put at its usual place (a hole at the centre of the house), and asked his visitors to brief him on how their places were, while taking the beer.
Meanwhile, he had ordered for a bull to be slaughtered and its tongue to be pierced with thorns and then boiled. When the beer was half way in the pot, he instructed hot water to be poured into the beer pot, to refill it and asked the people taking the beer to remove their drinking straws from the pot.
To nub the culprit, he called his sons in turn to check what was in the beer pot. Arap Koilegen, arap Boisio and Kibuigut saw nothing. However, Samoei reported that he saw people who looked like 'white worms'. This signified the White people.
Then his father said this to him, "good, I have got you, the 'white worms' are called 'Chumbek' who have just arrived at the eastern waters (Mombasa). These people will bring with them something like a serpent which puffs at the head and crawls on its path (train and the railway). These people will seize Nandi cattle, drive the Nandis from their homes and even kill the Nandis. These people then, Samoei are the ones to kill you and the Nandis are the ones to betray you to them". This was so because the old man had already 'foreseen' that some Nandis wanted to kill him to let Samoei his youngest son to lead them.
And as for the tongue of the bull, it was cut into small pieces and pierced with thorns, he asked everybody to use the thorn to eat a piece of the tongue like an eating fork. After that he told them that its significance was that since he had helped the Nandis in the past and now they wanted to kill him, no son of his will ever "speak" (prophecy) for the Nandis as he used to do, and that his killing with sharp sticks ('kelach') will be the last because the white people will accomplish that act of killing with sharp sticks.
He then told the Nandis that since they were not grateful to him even though he had helped them for long, the Nandis would break like a pot. He then told his messengers (Maotik) from the Kipsigisland, Kiproisi, Maemba and Kimonde (Mugeni's father), who married his (arap Turugat's) daughter, Langok and got a son nicknamed 'Mugeni', to take the three sons, arap Koilegen, arap Boisio and Kibuigut to Kipsigisland.The real name of Mugeni was Barngetuny arap Koske. The name 'Mugeni' was derived as follows; before the coming of the Europeans, already Arab and Swahili traders used to traverse through the Kipsigisland enroute to Gusiiland, they were trading on slaves, beads, salt and ivory. As these visitors were going through Kimonde's (Mugeni's) territory, they befriended him and asked him (Kimonde) to request his people to give them ivory in exchange with their items from the coast like, salt, beads and cowry shells. The Kipsigis people liked the items. Whenever these coast people came, they used to tell Kimonde that " 'mimi leo ni mugeni yako' (I am your visitor to-day) and I need ivory from your people", hence, whenever Kimonde was going round to ask his people who had ivory to give to his friend(s) from the coast, he used to tell them (his people) in the Kipsigis language that my mugeni requires your ivory in exchange with their items from their country.
This happened always, until when the Kipsigis people, whenever they saw Kimonde coming to their homes, they used to say " 'Mugeni' has come", and that was how Kimonde got the nickname 'Mugeni'. Apart from Mugeni being arap Koilegen's chief Maotiot he was related to arap Koilegen by his mother who was the sister of arap Koilegen. He used to visit arap Koilegen and arap Boisio and that was how he got some future prophecy messages by the two Orgoiik. When Mugeni told people about the prophecies, people misunderstood this, that he was the one who prophesied, while in real sense, he got the news from these Orgoiik prophets.
Arap Koilegen was asked to go and live at Cherire in Belgut where he was supposed to push the Luos farther towards Lake Victoria. Arap Koilegen was later nicknamed "Kochichlem" after pushing the Luos beyond Kapsarok. Arap Boisio was asked to go to Buret a place called Mombwo and was asked to push the Abagusii farther.
Kibuigut was asked to go to eastern side of Kipsigis, a place known as Binyiny in Kipkelion, to stop invaders from the eastern sides. The old man further told arap Koilegen to be careful with the white people because the Kipsigis will request him (Koilegen) to 'speak' for them and ask him to fight the white people.
He went further and told them that the white people with their arms were very powerful; the only thing that would overcome them would be the 'tongue' (politics). He then told them that the Nandis would not get his leadership blessings because of their sins. He went on to say that with the coming of the white people, the Nandi country would not be at peace and if it was possible those who could, would rather go and live in heaven where there was peace .
After some days, he asked his wife 'Chebokikwarei' (who had no children) to carry his leadership 'instruments' in a small skin bag. Both of them went to a place where there was a huge rock where he used to pray to his God (Asis), he then prayed and after that he asked the wife to put the bag in a small opening on the rock, he prayed again and the opening on the rock got closed. He asked the wife to get back together with him to their house without turning back to see the rock. He chose the childless wife because he knew that she could not complain that the leadership items should have been given to her son (Samoei's mother and the mothers of the other sons could have complained that the items be given to their sons).
Since the old man had made the curse, he did not wish any of the sons to have the leadership items, until some other time in the future. This could be so because after so many years in the year 2002 (after more than a century), some Talai elders visited the rock and had some traditional forgiveness prayers that the items were removed from the opening on the rock which had appeared mysteriously. The rock is at Samiitui up to now.
Before long arap Turugat knew that the day of his death was in the corner after a dog had early in the morning climbed to the top of his house, a sign that a member of that house will probably die. The following morning, very early, some Nandi warriors mostly from the Kamelilo clan invaded his compound. Arap Turugat told them not to complete their mission while in his house, he took his stool to where he wished to be killed, he was wearing his 'sambut' cloak, a leader's garment made from a monkey skin, sat down on the stool, also, a leader's seat, he then asked them to do what they came to do. The warriors then clubbed him to death, when they were sure that he was dead, his body was left there to be eaten by hyenas.
After the death of arap Turugat, his body was surrounded by a great swarm of bees, the weather changed drastically, a thick fog covered the place and it rained heavily with thunderstorm. There was a terrible lightning, which strucked the dead body, and it was alleged that his tongue was pulled out and was taken to the sky and a voice warned the Nandi's of future sickness and cattle plague. Indeed, after his death, there were widespread of epidemics in Nandi. Because of all these events, some Nandis and some members of the Talai moved to various places as far as Uganda as they feared that the Nandi country was cursed because of the killing of their leader and seer, arap Turugat.The killing of arap Turugat is thought to have been between 1885 and 1890, - 'Kaplelach' age-set, the period when the whites arrived to the Nandi and Kipsigis countries, whites were termed, 'Kiplelachek' and 'Chumbek'.
Immediately after the death of Kipnyolei arap Turugat his daughter known as "Taplule" and some of Kipnyolei's Nandi followers fled to Uganda as they were aware of Kipnyolei's curse to Nandis. They expected something bad would happen to Nandis because of the killing of Kipnyolei and the curse.
When the Kipsigis 'Maotik' (messengers) heard that arap Turugat had been killed, they went and brought his three sons who were to go to Kipsigisland, the Nandis were so scared, Koitalel Samoei did not go to Keiyo as was requested by the father, instead he took over the leadership position, thus he became the Nandi leader (Orgoiyot), the position he and his Kamelilo Nandi clan wanted.
The killing of arap Turugat revolved around the succession factor apart from the natural calamities which were afflicting the Nandi then, it was also felt as far as the Kipsigisland, for example, there came an outbreak of a disease known as 'Kimukusi' (anthrax) which could be the one from the Pokot cows, which killed many cows in Nandi, then, there was a serious drought followed by famine which made a lot of people to die and there was also an eclipse of the sun, all these were said by the Nandis that Asis (God) was not happy with the killing of arap Turugat .
The Orgoiyotship in Nandi and even the Laibonship in Maasai did not state how succession should be undertaken when a holder of the office dies. For the Maasai, the death of Mbatiany in 1890, plunged his dominion into chaos as his sons, Ole-nana and Sendeu lined up their followers and fought for the vacant Laibonism. So in Nandi, the death of arap Turugat made Koitalel Samoei to be derided at by his other brothers, and especially that they said that he was the cause of the death of their father. This led to renewed misunderstanding amongst the Talai, the act that made the three to move to Kipsigisland soonest.
KILLING OF SAMOEI KOITALEL
After the death of arap Turugat, Samoei led the Nandis; the Whites ('Chumbek') came to Nandiland as missionaries and administrators. During this period (1900-1903), came the arrival of the railway line to Kisumu (Lake Victoria). Samoei was not happy with the intrusion of the strangers in his area and especially when the remembered what his father had said about them. He started resisting the Whites and this did not please the Whites, as Meinerzthagen wrote; "...... Eversince I came here I have been organizing intelligence service. However, the Laibon (Orgoiyot) himself has not ceased to play the same game on me, his agent being the official interpreter at civil lines. This glip-tongued is a member of the Laibons's family and keeps this wicked medicine man supplied with all information about me and about our doings in Nandi Fort" .
Around 1900, before railway reached Kisumu, transportation of goods and mail from Western Kenya and Uganda was carried out in sections. Convoys of carts left Kisumu and proceeded to Kibigori . The loads were then carried by porters up an ascent of 2000 feet to the top of the Nandi escarpment, where there was a fixed depot called Kambi ya ishirini. From there, bullock carts ferried the loads to Nandi depot where they were loaded on Ox cart for Nakuru rail-head via Eldama Ravine. One fateful morning a convoy consisting of twenty ox carts, police escort and two passengers, one a Greek trader and the other a Government clerk of Eurasian origin was ambushed by Nandi warriors immediately after leaving Kambi ya Ishirini. The warriors slaughtered everybody, looted all the loads and destroyed the carts. News of this tragic occurrence was conveyed to CW Hobbley, the administrator of Kavirondo by messengers who ran down from Nandi depot to Kisumu via Nyando Valley.
Coincidentally, a convoy of carts laden with coast-bound mail had arrived in Kisumu from Uganda and was preparing to continue with its journey to Mombasa when the messengers arrived. To avoid the hostile route, Hobbley dispatched it by way of the Nyando Valley which didn't touch the Nandi territory but skirted it.
He also organized a group of twenty five fully armed Sudanese soldiers to escort the convoy and gave them enough ammunition. Unfortunately the Nandi spotted this convoy from a distance and mounted a very strong ambush at Mnara near Muhoroni. The whole party including the Sudanese soldiers was slaughtered except for two small boys who were following the convoy. The cargo was looted, and a few weeks later, letters and hundreds of cheques were found strewn about over a mile from the scene of the disaster. The PC could do nothing except to wait for a Battalion of Indian Army under Colonel Evatt which was on its way. The transport of the Indian Army to the Nandi territory was facilitated by Chief Odera Olalo of Gem in Siaya who provided hundreds of young men to act as porters and personally travelled to Nandi to ensure none of them deserted. However, Hobbley regretted that Chief Olalo was not appreciated despite his great assistance. "His splendid response, I regret to say, was but little appreciated by the head-quarter staff, and the treatment accorded to him was very inconsiderate," he wrote. Since it was believed that no concerted attack by the Nandi could occur without the blessing of Koitalel Arap Samoei, a column of soldiers was organized to raid his home.
The soldiers led by the PC left their camp just before midnight and began making their way to the Koitalel's homestead. Soaked through with dew from the bush they reached a point at dawn where they could see the homestead at a distance. Because Koitalels hut was located across a valley, he could also see anybody approaching his homestead from a distance, and by the time the party stormed his homestead, he had already melted into the bush together with his warriors. From the recesses of one of his hut the soldiers unearthed relics of old raids among them the diary and various belongings of Peter West who had been massacred by the Nandi some years before.
The resistance went on for some time until one time the Whites decided to have a reconciliatory meeting with the Nandis. The resistance took place in the area between Lumbwa Station (Kipkelion) and Chemelil, so a meeting and the venue was arranged. Infact the name 'Koru' of a town near Chemelil was derived as follows; the whites constructing the railway line had camped at the place, and the Nandi warriors were on top of Legetet Hill which is near Koru. When the warriors saw the whites at the camp, they said, " Koru Punik" (the enemies are many) at the camp, hence the name 'Koru' was derived from that statement.
The day the meeting was supposed to take place, Samoei, his 'Kiptainik' and his warriors came. The Nandis had arranged to show a different elder as Koitalel to the white man, Meinertzhagen led his group. Before the talk started, Meinertzhagen asked the Nandis to request their leader, Samoei to come forward to shake hands with him, an elder came forward but Meinertzhagen shook his head saying that the elder was not him (Samoei), another elder came forward, but Meinartzhagen shook his head that he was not the one.
Nandis sensing that Meinertzhagen knew who Samoei was, an elder told Samoei to go forward, of which he did, Meinertzhagen stretched his hand to shake with Samoei's. When Samoei also did likewise a Nandi elder from the Kamelilo clan shouted this to Samoei "Samoei why do you give your hand to a white man, he could be a 'devil'", then in the process Samoei pulled his hand back, Meinertzhagen mistook the action for fighting, he then shot Samoei.
A fierce fighting erupted of which many Nandis were killed (19 October 1905). This incident confirmed arap Turugat's prophecy that the whites would kill Samoei and that the Nandis from Kamelilo were the ones to betray him.
After the death of Samoei, the Nandis became leaderless, disorganized, divided, weaker and weaker and the institution which arap Turugat and his forefathers had build in Nandi started to disintegrate. This is why some Nandis to date are still blaming the misfortunes they are facing being as a result of the killing of arap Turugat, some say that a cleansing ceremony should have been done. The cleansing ceremony was done in the year 2002 at Samiitui where he was killed.