African tale-The boy who scared a cheetah and never told his father

Lake Bogoria in Kenya is not only an International tourist attraction, but it is also the place where the most interesting stories begin.

Not far from this famous lake lives one very knowledgeable Septuagenarian –Mzee Richard Kiboror Yegon. Independent Reporters- Kenya got the very rare privilege to travel his path of history, and even drink from his overflowing cup of wisdom. He is the Chairman of the Baringo Livestock Marketing Council and the real owner of the Koriema trading center, a nationally recognized Nyama Choma eating point located along the Marigat-Kabarnet Highway

Without spending time with elders like Mzee Yegon, then you will never come to the realization that some humans were the real eye witnesses when God decided to form the modern day conflict ridden Lake Kamnarok in Baringo North.But why must anyone sit down and listen to the stories of this old timer? The most striking part of his tales is the fact that for the last 65 years, he and his family has been using one single plate to eat their food. He bought his plate in the year 1957. In every family gathering he chairs, the plate is celebrated as the golden treasure of his family.

Mzee Yegon who also served as the Councilor of Mochongoi ward played linchpin role in fighting off GG Kariuki of Laikipia when he tried to settle his people in Mochongoi, clearly disregarding the Laikipia-Baringo colonial boundaries as well demonstrated in the 1920-1930 colonial maps.

But you also need to learn that Mzee Yegon can tell you about a then politician known as Edward Kiptanui of Baringo South.

When Kiptanui heard that Moi is settling people in Mochongoi,he rushed to Olkokwe to plan a land take over coup.

Kiptanui allegedly told his tribal sycophants ‘’to run’’ and build homes in Keneroi forests. Mzee Yegon informed Moi about Kiptanui’s underhand dealings and under the supervision of former PC Mathenge,the people of Kiptanui were chased out of Mochongoi like Burukenge.

In a nutshell,Mzee Richard Yegon is also known as Kiboror,which in Kalenjin means 'the one who shows the way to the right destination and for that reason,he is using the spirit of his name to give a small lecture to Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi.

He would like Cheboi to set his legacy as the only Governor who ever invested Billions of money in building huge dams along Baringo's major rivers,and be the father of Irrigation farming in the history of Baringo County. In his own observation,too much water in Baringo is going to waste.

He is telling Cheboi not to repeat his old mistake, filling his cabinet with Judases whose only claim to public offices is because they have some University papers, but not because they desire to render a service to Humanity.

He is advising Cheboi to micro manage his CECs,and quickly weed out the economic Talibans out to sabotage his vision for the people of Baringo.

Mzee Richard Yegon’s grandfather was the original owner of Koriema trading center. He was a rich man, a version of a real African Dalamere, having established a vast Manyatta right in the modern day Koriema Catholic church. This original owner of Koriema trading center together with his sons then migrated to Maji Moto,the Southern side of Lake Bogoria.

Maji Moto was originally known as Ndoleta .

It is here that Mzee Richard Yegon arrived and gained planet earth’s citizenship in the early 1940s, being the son of the Late Mzee Kibiegon arap Koriema of the early Nyongi age set. It is here that his grandfather passed on, a village called Kabarfaya near the Koibos Hills …

.

‘’I never saw my grandfather but my father, Kibiegon the son of Koriema ensured that our life went on. He and his brothers had inherited vast herds of cattle and during that time, droughts was the only challenge..’’Mzee Richard told Independent Reporters Kenya.

‘’There was no rain from the year 1949 to 1951’’Mzee Richard revealed and for that reason ,Mzee Richard was a young mama's boy when his father decided to flee towards Mochongoi in the search for pasture lands.

’’Only my father, me and my mother Tarkok left for Mochongoi. Women and girls never carried weapons for self defense and therefore; moving around in the wild was the most risky activity for them to engage in .My two older sisters had to stay behind in Maji Moto,to give company to my stepmothers who were in charge of the goats’’Mzee Richard revealed, pointing out how much he missed playing with his sisters .

In that time of History, only three families lived in the Mochongoi jungles. Arap Mogio,Kiptingos and the Kipteweret family who happened to have been the Ogieks of Mochongoi.That time also according to Mzee Richard,Kabel was a paradise of wild life. It was easy to see many newly born baby elephants wobbling behind their mothers and learning to walk. The forest was full of many creatures, very tall trees and bush ropes no human language can describe but don’t forget the Lions, the Kings of the African jungles.

‘’We had also settled in a place called Keon in Sinoni and one night, a lion visited our makeshift homestead. I was woken by the commotion of my mother Tarkok lighting many small fires around the homestead. She forced me to go back to sleep because ‘a bad animal’ was around the home.’’Mzee Richard recalls adding that when his mother was lighting the fires, his father was patrolling the homestead while armed with a spear and the sword. Lucky for the family of Mzee Richard, many of their cows survived the drought and the diseases outbreak within Mochongoi.

Big rains started visiting the region at the end of the year 1951 and the family of Mzee Richard made it back safely to Maji Moto where they encountered not a very good situation...

‘’My two sisters Kimoi Changole and Kimoi Losiwa were heavily affected by scabies, and no inch of their skin was not affected’’Mzee Yegon remembers with sadness written in his face. Without wasting time, his father Kibiegon arap Koriema had to travel to a place called Pogor in Molo Sirwe,to see a man called Cheptorit who happened to be his in law. This Cheptorit was to give him a fat goat for slaughter, purposely to treat the sick girls but unlucky enough, that was the last time Mzee Richard saw his father alive.

‘’My father never returned home and it took me several months to learn that my father was dead. Elders of that time never discussed death with children and therefore even to date, I don’t know exactly what happened to him along the way but I guess he fell sick and died!!’’ Mzee Richard was overcome by emotion, remembering that his father loved him so much but how then did Mzee Richard learn that his father was dead?

‘’Near a place called Kamar,i was out herding goats with my elder sister Kimoi Changole. We were heading home for the nightfall was approaching. I realized that the goats were agitated and all looking in one direction. A cheetah, known as Chepkormet in the language of our Endorois people had gotten hold of a goat. I used my boyish arrows to shoot at the cheetah and it let go the goat and fled into the thickets.

I was so proud of my brave action. I told my sister Kimoi Changole who was with me about my intention to inform our father about the encounter, and how I acted bravely to save our goat. I was very innocent when my sister told me in a whisper that our father is no more,and that i should never again make any mention of him…All the way home that evening I sobbed so bitterly, and later fell sick for almost two months..’’Mzee Richard narrated to this platform with his 75 year old eyes soaking in tears of grief.

He is still not over the death of his father, remembering his death like it happened yesterday.