On 27th April, Kenya’s Taita Hills yet again remembered the times when Indians fought alongside African soldiers on the battlefields in Taita Taveta County as part of the East Africa campaign of the First World War, making enormous sacrifices in that action.
Brigadier Godfrey Buluma of Kenyan Defence Forces, representing Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces joined the Indian High Commissioner to Kenya Dr. Virander Paul to inaugurate an ‘India Corner’ at Taita Hills Safari Lodge, which has been a popular base for visitors to explore the Tsavo region. The Governor of Taita Taveta County was represented by CECM Vumi Ringo (Youth, Sports & Culture) and the CECMs in-charge of Public Works and Health. The commemorative event saw various participants talk about India and Kenya of the colonial period and how the two Indian Ocean nations have come to be such close partners in the contemporary world.
An important highlight of the event was Mr Jaswinder Singh Oberoi, a third generation Kenyan of Indian heritage, presenting to the ‘India Corner’ a set of medals that his grandfather Late Bulaqi Singh Oberoi had won for his participation in the East Africa campaign of the 1st World War. Kenyan born Jaswinder Oberoi said he was proud of his grandfather’s legacy and the gift of medals was his family’s bit to add to the honoured memory of all Indians who fought alongside their African brothers in the war effort. Former General Manager of the Lodge Willy Mwadilo, who has over the years been bringing in new knowledge about the East African theater of WW-1, expressed confidence that the Corner would serve as a valuable source of knowledge about certain lesser known but important facts of the war on the Taita Hills soil. High Commissioner Dr. Paul informed the gathering about the excellent research being done in India by the United Service Institution on the contribution of Indians in the two world wars. He conveyed grateful thanks to the management of the Taita Hills Lodge, Kenyan Defence Forces and the Taita Tveta County Government for their wholesome support and commended his own colleague Ramneek Singh for his creative inputs into the artwork of the Corner.
Many who are interested in the study of the WW-1 military campaigns in East Africa share a belief that soon enough the Tsavo region will be known internationally not only for its beautiful wildlife sanctuaries, but also for ‘battlefield tourism’ with considerable potential of creating new economic opportunities for the local population.
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