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Lord Delamere agrees ‘to pay 49 cows’ to kin of man shot dead by Cholmondeley


The Delamere family has finally agreed to compensate relatives of Kenya Wildlife Service ranger Samson ole Sisina who was shot dead by Mr Tom Cholmondeley 11 years ago.

They will get 27 acres and 49 Sahiwal cows. Mr Cholmondeley will be buried on Friday.

The two families met at the Delamere’s posh Soysambu farm, where a deal was struck.

This ended a decade of controversy that had dogged Mr Cholmondeley over compensation to the Sisina family.

Mr Sisina’s kinsmen had threatened to block Mr Cholmondeley’s burial but on Thursday travelled from Narok to the vast Soysambu ranch, where the negotiations lasting eight hours took place.

At the talks were Mr Sisina’s widow, Lucy Sisina, her eldest son, 22-year-old John Esho and four elders.

Mr Cholmondeley was represented by his father and mother and top managers.

The widow, Mrs Lucy Sisina, at her homestead. PHOTO | GEORGE SAYAGIE
The widow, Mrs Lucy Sisina, at her homestead. PHOTO | GEORGE SAYAGIE

At the end of the negotiations, the parties signed a pact to hive off 27-acres on the Soysambu farm and hand it over to the Sisina family.

Relatives of the KWS officer were given 49 Sahiwal cows, which were driven away by Maasai elders who were part of the Sisina entourage at around 3pm.

The Delamere family also undertook to educate Mr Sisina’s eight children up to university.

It also committed itself to building a modern house for the Sisina family.

The family of the wildlife officer had threatened to stop the burial of Mr Cholmondeley.

“They promised to build a posh house for the family on the 27 acres land and offer monetary compensation,” said a source at the meeting.

Twenty-seven Maasai elders were part of the delegation that travelled from Narok to Mr Cholmondeley’s Soysambu ranch.

Only six elders were, however, allowed to take part in the negotiations. The rest waited outside.

Mr Sisina’s family lost a murder case that was filed against Mr Cholmondeley 11 years ago.