{{When the British Government decided to compensate Mau Mau-era detainees in an out-of-court settlement, Ms Esther Njeri was ready for her share of the Sh2.6 billion payout.}}
The 74-year-old from Thuita village in Githunguri, Kiambu, says she was among the 5,228 beneficiaries shortlisted as a genuine Mau Mau detainee.
She is now protesting that she did get the Sh340,000 each person was entitled to.
Njeri is blaming Mau Mau War Veterans Association officials in her village for her woes, alleging they hid a notification letter given to her by British representatives who jetted into the country to verify fighters who deserved compensation.
The document was her only confirmation that she was entitled to the share of the money released in June this year and announced by British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
{{Bank account}}
Members were to attach their bank account numbers and present it to local officials for signing to okay the deposit of the cash in their accounts.
The woman who said her role was to cook and serve freedom fighters, was tortured and detained for months during the struggle for independence.
“I was the first person to be interviewed by the British officials who were here to verify who are genuine and who are not,” she said.
“I was given a notification and I was told I would use it while claiming my share once the money was out,” she added.
Njeri said on the day she was to go for the signing, she sent her husband Njihia Ngaruiya, 86, also a beneficiary, to take the notification document with him for signing.
This was the last time she was to see a document she had treasured and knew it was her way to receive the money.
But she is not alone; according to area acting Chief Samuel Njoroge, he has heard of several other similar cases although they have not been officially reported to his office.
“Word has been going around that a number genuine fighters who were entitled to compensation did not get their money when others did,” he said.
{Standardmedia}
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