Wonders of Sergoit Hills

By Hillary Kosgey Arap Masut, An Anthology of Memoirs When you come to Iten and pass by the KCB Bank area, you will be amazed by the sight of several gigantic trees. These trees were planted in 1959 by William Millard Spencer during the Queen Mother’s visit to Elgeyo Marakwet District, when she visited Kamariny. At that time, Spencer, an agricultural officer, was transferred to make Iten the headquarters for his work. He lived in a nearby brick house that also acted as his office. Today, that house is close to where Tomnos House stands in Iten. William Millard Spencer was born in April 1894. He served in the army and was promoted to captain by the end of World War I. His military service shaped the discipline and methodical approach he later applied in soil conservation and land management in Elgeyo Marakwet. He was blessed with two daughters. Spencer came to Kenya as a settler and initially served as an assistant agricultural officer. By November 1947, he became the agricultural offic...

By William Kiptoo It’s the mid-1960s, and the sun dipped behind Karuna hills in Moiben, painting the sky in hues of orange and crimson. John William Hosking, a colonial officer with a stern face and dusty boots, leaned against his Land Rover. He spoke with clipped authority, gesturing toward the acacia thickets.  “This land has seen lions,” Hosking said. “That’s why we called it Kambi Simba. You’ll need courage to tame it.”  Kimwatan, dressed in a worn coat that still carried the scent of hides from his trading days in Elgeyo escarpment, stood firm. His cousin, William Chemweno, had already told him the settlers were leaving, that the future belonged to those who dared to plant roots in these plains.  “I don’t fear lions,” Kimwatan replied. “I fear wasted land. Give me the papers, and I’ll show you what this soil can yield.”  The handshake that followed was more than a transaction. It was the passing of an era. Hosking walked away from colonial ownership; Kimwatan st...

 By William Kiptoo In the early 1970s, Moiben in Uasin Gishu County was part of Kenya’s post-independence land redistribution program. Large settler farms were subdivided and allocated to local families, creating new settlements. Among these was the area that would later be known as Torochmoi. As part of the resettlement plan, essential amenities were set aside, including a new school to serve the children of the farming families. Initially, this school and settlement had no formal name. A story is told that in 1978, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, then Vice President of Kenya, visited the new settlement and its school. Moi was a local son of the Rift Valley, and his rise in national politics carried symbolic weight for communities in Uasin Gishu and beyond. It is said the residents gave Moi a warm welcome, and in appreciation, they chose to name the school Toroch Moi. In the local Kalenjin language, Toroch means “welcome.” Thus, Toroch Moi literally translates to “Welcome Moi.” This ac...