Wonders of Sergoit Hills

 By William Kiptoo Juma Hajee, born in Veraval, British India, arrived in Kenya in 1904 at age twenty to join his father, Haji Noor Mohamed, a railway worker on the Uganda Railway. Within a few years, he had earned the affectionate nickname “the Aga Khan of Eldoret” for his commanding presence, oratory skills, and pivotal role in pioneering trade and civic life on the Uasin Gishu Plateau. Early Ventures and the Birth of Hajee’s Drift Shortly after settling in Eldama Ravine, Hajee opened his first trading post. In 1907, at the government’s invitation, he moved north to Farm 64 on the Sosiani River—later known as Hajee’s Drift—where he erected a corrugated-iron store on Piet van Breda’s land. In an era before bridges, travelers crossed the river on a fallen tree trunk, making Hajee’s outpost a crucial waypoint for traders and settlers alike. Building a Regional Trade Network From that modest drift-side shop, Juma Hajee & Sons grew into a dozen outlets across Western Kenya. By the...

 By William Kiptoo For the Marakwet people of Kenya, Dr. Benjamin E. Kipkorir was more than a national figure—he was a cultural ambassador. One of the first Marakwet scholars to study abroad at Cambridge, Kipkorir used his academic talents not to escape his roots but to shine a spotlight on them.  His book  The Marakwet of Kenya  (1973) remains a foundational text in African anthropology, not only documenting the customs and traditions of his community but also analyzing how they navigated the turbulent shifts brought by colonialism and modernity. Through careful research, Kipkorir validated Marakwet oral histories and traditions in academic circles that had long dismissed African voices as “unscientific” or “primitive.” His work gave the Marakwet people a place in the larger story of Kenya and Africa. As a historian, he believed that every community, no matter how small or geographically isolated, had a story worth telling. His scholarship showed how African intelle...

 By William Kiptoo William Kiptoo n s r p o t e S o d a m 1 u g 1 l u 2 f i   t 2 g u h i 3 u t h 9 9 i 0 5 J 1 8 8 t y   1 l 1 8 u 4 7 5 2 3 4 6 i 0 2 a   · Atanas Kandie: A Pioneer Farmer in Keiyo and Uasin Gishu Atanas Kandie was one of the most respected post-independence farmers in Keiyo and Uasin Gishu. Born in Elgeyo Marakwet during the colonial period, he served in the King's African Rifles during WWII, fighting overseas. When he returned home, he used his savings to open a shop in the Keiyo reserve, later expanding to Kaptagat with a posho mill, transport business, and potato trade. By 1956, he had started investing in Eldoret town and ventured into dairy farming at Kaptarakwa, where he developed an intensive Guernsey dairy herd. In 1963, Kandie made history by becoming one of the first Africans to buy a European-owned farm—800 acres from Cecil Walter. He later partnered with Bill Spencer (of the “Spencer Lines” legacy) to acquire more land, eventually ownin...

By William Kiptoo Before the arrival of European settlers, the Uasin Gishu Plateau was a thriving paradise for wildlife. When English settler A.C. Hoey first arrived in the region in 1906, he was overwhelmed by the abundance of game. In his own words: “It would be most impossible for me to describe the vast quantities of game I encountered on the Uasin Gishu Plateau, and of almost every species. Jackson's Hartebeeste roamed the country in vast herds of three to five hundred strong. Eland moved in groups of two hundred or more, and Zebra literally by the thousand—not to mention the numerous lions and some very fine elephants that used to travel between the Elgeyo Forest and Mount Elgon.” However, as European settlement expanded and commercial farming took root, attitudes toward wildlife changed drastically. Farmers soon began to regard wild animals as a nuisance and threat. Zebra were blamed for breaking down fences, while lions and other predators frequently raided livestock. By th...

 By William Kiptoo White Highlands lies in Kimumu Ward, in Moiben Constituency. It is within Eldoret Municipality, It is located along Elgeyo Road, near the Eastern Avenue (en.wikipedia.org). Historically it was part of the Kenya’s White Highlands—a region reserved exclusively for European settlers, including Afrikaners and British, from the early 1900s until about 1961 (nation.africa). The hotel likely began as a private recreation or accommodation venue serving white settlers—similar in intent to the earlier Wagon Wheel and Lincoln hotels, which were segregated social spaces for Afrikaners and British respectively. (nation.africa). A Google Maps reviewer recalls: “Formerly a haven for white settlers in 1950’s there has been little effort to modernize or refurbish.” (top-rated.online) Architecturally, the Inn preserves a distinct colonial aesthetic—wooden fixtures, classic brickwork, and an “old-school colonial touch” that guests still note. During segregation, it was “off limits ...