Here are Kenyans who walked away with millions of shillings as compensation from the state

On August 16th he was finally awarded compensation over his unlawful detention during the fight for multi-party democracy in the early 1990s in Kenya.

Matiba is not alone however in the list of Kenyans who have sued the state and won compensation figures totaling millions of shillings.

Here is a list of Kenyans who did just that.

Mau Mau veterans

In 2013, Britain agreed to pay out £19.9m in costs and compensation to more than 5,000 elderly Kenyans who suffered torture and abuse during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s.

Thousands of Kenyans were killed during the Mau Mau revolt against British rule in Kenya in the 1950s.

London-based Leigh Day law firm represented the 5,228 victims Mau Mau veterans who sued for compensation.

"These crimes were committed by British colonial officials and have gone unrecognised and unpunished for decades. They included castration, rape and repeated violence of the worst kind. Although they occurred many years ago, the physical and mental scars remain.” Said Martyn Day, senior partner at Leigh Day.

The compensation amounts to about £3,000 per victim and applies only to the living survivors of the abuses that took place.

Britain also funded the construction of a memorial in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to the victims of torture and abuse during the colonial era.

Kenneth Matiba

After more than a decade, veteran politician Kenneth Matiba on August 16th was finally awarded compensation over his unlawful detention during the fight for multi-party democracy in the early 1990s.

Justice Lenaola, now a judge of the Supreme Court, awarded him Sh504 million ($4.8million) for damages suffered while in detention as well as act as a reminder of the dark days of the Nyayo era.

The politician had sought Sh4,726,332,042 ($47million) for the loss of business but the Judge ruled that the State should pay 20 percent of the amount.

Mr. Matiba suffered a stroke on May 26, 1991, but remained in detention without medication for one week and also his business empire worth billions of shillings crumbled.

Political prisoners’ mothers

In January 2017, six women who staged a hunger strike in Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner to press for the release of their sons were awarded Sh18 million ($174,032) for the torture they underwent at the hands of security agents.

The mothers had been arrested and tortured on different dates between 1992 and 1993 by state agents for their resistance to police brutality.

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Their sons had been detained during the then regime of Kenya’s second President, Daniel Moi.

Justice John Mativo who heard the case said the torture meted out on the six by the police and GSU officers grossly violated their constitutional rights.

The judge ruled that each mother should get Sh3 million ($ 29,013) a piece and the sum will attract interest from June 30, 2014, when the petition was filed until the full payment is made.

Koigi Wamwere

In March 2015, former Subukia Member of Parliament, Koigi Wamwere was awarded Sh12 million ($116,087) as compensation for torture while in detention between 1975 and 1982.

The amount was increased from Sh2.5 million ($24,181), awarded to him in 2012, following an appeal by Mr. Wamwere.

In their ruling two months later, Appeal Court judges Phillip Waki, Paul Kiage and J Mohammed said the previous amount was inadequate.

Mr. Koigi had moved to the Court of Appeal demanding Sh200 million ($1.9milion) in compensation.

Mwandawiro Mghanga

Early this year, the High Court awarded former Wundanyi MP Mwandawiro Mghanga Sh10 million ($10,000) as damages for torture by the State in 1992.

Judge Isaac Lenaola ruled that the politician's rights were breached and ought to be compensated.

Mr. Mghanga told the court that he was arrested on August 18, 1982, in Werugha, Taita Taveta by officers from the Special Branch Unit and was detained for 111 days without trial.