The ICC's ignorance on the Nandi Culture inexcusable (first draft)

Nandi male initiates. The male initiation ceremony is an age-old annual practise in Nandi

The International Criminal Court sitting at The Hague in The Netherlands is prosecuting crimes against humanity against three Kenyans in an unprecedented case. Unprecedented because a sitting President (Uhuru Kenyatta) and his Deputy and erstwhile political nemesis (William Ruto) are facing charges related to the 2007 election in Kenya. William Ruto's co-accussed is radio personality, Joshua arap Sang who worked for the popular Kass FM during the election period and thereafter.

The circumstances leading up to the referrals and confirmation of charges are not the subject of this essay. NO.

My attention has been drawn to the claims by the prosecution that Messrs Ruto and Sang allegedly hijacked the Nandi intiation process and deployed it to form the "network with which they fought other ethnic communities". 

Couldn't the prosecution at the #ICC do a simple audit on fact versus fiction in order to understand basic cultural truths? I find the claims to constitute an inexcusable distortion of fact, a blanket condemnation of the Nandi culture and a sorry case for setting the proud Nandi people to ridicule. Let us deal with the facts.

FACT 1: Nobody can remember the last time the Nandi/Kalenjin took part in anything close to an oathing ceremony. We don't have any elaborate procedure for oathing. We have elaborate rites for cursing wrong-doers. Those curses can NOT be used to coerce anybody to do wrong. My community is a community of pious and religious people. So much that even though I am not a language student, I know that if a language has a wealth of vocabulary on something it demonstrates the importance attached to it and its variations. Sin, transgression and iniquity are words in the English language that describe wrong(doing). In the Nandi language that is clearly defined on the basis of its strength and "forgiveability". 

• Tengek (forgiveable sin)
• Ng'oogi (unforgiveable sin, one requiring elaborate cleansing ceremonies)
•  Kachilililutik (errors)

These words demonstrate a subconscious encapsulation of the community awareness to wrong-doing and a deliberate attempt to regulate it.

So when I saw claims of oathing including slaughter of animals I was aghast. How would this have happened? Was it performed by non-Nandi/Kalenjin people in our region? Was it a figment of somebody's imagination? Does the said claimant hail from an ethnic community in Kenya where oathing is part of daily life?

It is even insulting on our culture and an attack on the very core of our civilization to associate the slaughter of dogs, use of their blood or flesh for whatever ritual it is. That animal, the dog, just like a donkey, is a member of the group of animals which a Nandi would rather starve to death than eat. We simply can't touch its meat and blood. Talk of a goat or sheep. Talk of a cow. Those three are the animals we deal with each day. 

So when the prosecution buys this abracadabra about dog-slaughtering and oathing using animal blood, nothing could be wilder than this!

FACT 2: William Samoei Ruto and Joshua arap Sang, to the best of my knowledge, were both initiated into manhood vide the modern rites of passage. In Nandi county this was started by some converts to Christianity. It can be traced to a clansman of mine Jimmy arap Ketter of Chepterit, near Kapsabet. The alternative process is therefore called "KapJimmy".

I went through the Nandi rites. Every bit of the old way, ruthless and very heavy in symbolism. Nobody who went through it talks about it. Those who didn't go through it would stand out from a crowd. It is simply not easy to pretend to be one, because it is a process that trains one on, let us say "Body language".

The Nandi circumcision rites are so elaborate, and if you didn't know, password-controlled that unless one KNOWS the keys you'd not go beyond knowing what women know about it.

Essentially it's a system that has no respect for status (social or otherwise). It doesn't matter who it is NOBODY, and I REPEAT NOBODY, wields influence over the process except those who belong to the relevant categories: the mentors and the elders.

I hold the view that since William Ruto and Joshua arap Sang did not go through the rites, they are strangers to the process, hold no sway at all to the rites and would easily not get close to it for fear of the consequences (including curses). They know better than attempt it.

Then there is the outlandish claim. For the prosecution to claim that the two, who are strangers to the ceremonies, hijacked the process it is tantamount to claiming that boys and women could walk walk into a Nandi circumcision ceremony and play a role or even direct the strictly unchanging process.

That is simply unthinkable. 

It exposes a glaring lack of prosecutorial research, is intended to bring dishonour to the Nandi culture and tradition as well as bring disrepute to the great Nandi/Kalenjin people. That insult won't be excused.

FACT 3: Notably, the Nandi initiate their boys annually around end of November and early December. This timing coincides with the longest school holidays. Depending on when schools close, the initiation dates vary around end of November to early December. Therefore, before the PEV, and after that our boys have been initiated. In the period between initiation and graduation they live in a special "seclusion school" called Menjo. The curriculum that is taught there is one intended to develop a wholesome person. We were taught folklore and legend, respect for women and young girls (not to take sexual advantage of a drunk woman for example), for beasts and animals. We were taught respect for the stranger, that unknown man who passes by. Because he might do good, we were told. We were taught respect for the "teachers" and mother "who cooks for you". Do you notice how RESPECT permeates the whole curriculum?

I was never taught about enemy tribes and friendly tribes. No.

What the ICC has done is to destroy my pride as a Nandi, force me to tone down my association with my people as I walk through European capitals and interact with fellow scientists. My children would hesitate to identify themselves as Nandi because fellow German kids would say "we heard on TV" that your people killed others.

Our athletes, those guys who win golds and other gongs for Kenya shall walk off after the races for fear of being tagged with the reckless claims made by the prosecution.

Our reputation is soiled.

Is it that William Ruto and Joshua Sang are on trial or is it Nandi/Kalenjin?

The reputation, honour and international standing of what a Nandi/Kalenjin believes is under assault. I consider it right that we, the Nandi people of the world must seek court redress to cure the community name and restore ourselves to our place of pride.

We'll seek to cure that.

Thank you your honours!