May we all become good ancestors: A tribute to Mzee Moses Laima of the Sengwer, 1934-2021

Birth

The late Mzee Moses Leleu Laima was born in 1934 at Kaibos location West Pokot county to the late Rotich Kachaluk Pchana and the late Soliamo (Kabon). He was a second born child. Beloved brother to the late Cheptarus Kauyan, the late Mzee Joel Pkoech, the late CHemaiyo Chemiron, Cheposwony Taparno, Dickson Pkemoi Rotich, Veronica Chemwetich Musa, the late Jackson Pturuu, William Kiptoo Rotich and the late Shaban Kibiwot Rotich.

Initiation

He was circumcised in 1951 at Chepkoti village. His age group was Kaperur (Kipkoimet).

Education

He started school primary school in 1952 at Boma School (currently AP Quarters in West Pokot county). He did his common entrance exams in 1955 at Tomena primary school. He joined GAS (Government African School) in 1956 and later in 1960 he proceeded to form one at Chewoyet secondary school. He was the second student from the Sengwer community to join the school.

Mzee Moses Laima loved education so much that he established his own home library comprising of different literature books, novels, newspapers, news articles, magazines and Bible.

Marriage and Family

He got married to his lovely wives Catherine Chebii Laima and Hellen Laima in 1960 and 1971, respectively. They were blessed with seventeen children namely – Alice Cherop, Josephine Cheptiren, Samuel Cheruiyot, Sharon Kakuko, Solomon Kisang, Ben Kipyego, Naomi Chemeli, Deborah Cheptoo, Penina Chepkurgat, Pamela Chepchumba, Rebecca Chepkosgei, Nelly Chebor, the late Joseph Kipkirui, Elizabeth Chemtai, Joan Chepkorir, Sylvia Chepkoech and Stanley Kipkemoi.

He was blessed with 56 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren

Career

When the late Mzee did not succeed to get employment at DC’s office West Pokot, he applied for employment in Tanzania. He travelled to Tanzania for interview. He didn’t succeed because he lacked the necessary documents. He was deported from Tanzania and later got a job as a clerk at DC’s office, West Pokot.

He was employed in Sirikwa County Council as a clerk until 1972 when the council was closed. He later joined Teleu Consumers which operated in Arap Maket which later changed to Teleu Cooperative Society. He worked at Pokot Area Council (PAC) as an accountant until 1974 when he resigned. While at Pokot Area Council (PAC) he attended an accounting training college at Cooperative College, Nairobi.

Politics

His political journey started when he unsuccessfully contested for parliamentary seat for Kapenguria constituency in 1974. He later became a councilor for Siyoi ward for two terms from 1983 to 1992.

After the division of wards, he shifted to Kapenguria ward where he was elected unopposed as councilor and he led till 1997 when he retired from politics.

Social Life

He initiated the formation of the Cherangany Union with other people in 1971 to enhance unity of the community and chart their way forward.

Struggle for Community 

The late Moses Leleu Laima, with the support of other community leaders and elders, fought for community recognition as a separate and distinct tribe in Kenya. He also undertook the formation of Teleu Consumers and helped them apply for funds to do business (maize buying) at Arap Maket Centre; the registration of Teleu Cooperative Society; the mobilisation of community members to apply for plots in trading centres; and struggled to unite community members in 1970s. In 1968 he agitated for land registration within the areas the community occupied.

He organized for community meetings at Kaplokenya and in Kapchemakwer in Kipsoen (Kapolet) where DC Tambach (Iten) was in attendance. The purpose of the meetings was to agitate for human and land rights and to enhance community unity.

He mobilized community elders and leaders to write a letter to Mzee Jomo Kenyatta asking for consideration to have the community benefit from land settlement schemes immediately after independence in 1963.

He represented the community in international meetings – where he visited Switzerland and Greenland among other countries in the early 1990s. In 1993 he applied to UN Working Group for Indigenous Population for sponsorship to attend it’s sessions in Vienna. He didn’t get the sponsorship. So the Sengwer people – community members,  leaders and elders - decided to raise money to help Laima get to the UN meeting in Vienna. They gave money, others sold their livestock to get necessary funds to cover air ticket, accommodation, transport and meals while in Vienna. The community believed the presence of Laima will resolve outstanding community’s historical land injustice, land rights, recognition, representation and protection of culture, language and traditional knowledge.

Further, during colonial evictions from the white settlement farms and gazettement of community’s lands as forest reserves, the Sengwer people were dispersed and pushed far from each other. To bring them together, the late Laima was one of the key leaders who sacrificed and struggled to unite Sengwer from West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, including Sengwer of Embobut, and the Sengwer diaspora (in Kericho, Uasin Gishu, Nandi among other counties). He represented the community as an observer at Bomas during constitutional making process.

He worked tirelessly with other community leaders and elders to make oral and written submissions during the Njonjo Commission, National Land Policy, TJRC and other processes such as the development of Sengwer sustainability bylaws, the writing own of our governance structures and our Bio-Cultural Community Protocol. He was also one of the key resource persons in the ongoing community Bible translation into our Sengwer (Cherangany) language.

Laima further played a major role in the protection and promotion of Sengwer Culture and traditions by working tirelessly to register Sengwer Traditional Dancers Group, Sengwer Cultural Centre.

He was also the former chairperson of Sengwer Council of Elders till 2018 when he handed over to Mr. Charles K Chepkut.

Laima, Rest in Peace, AN ICON OF LOVE, PEACE AND UNITY!