Why Ntimama's children, author are fighting over biography

A court battle over a biography of veteran politician and former powerful minister from Narok, William Ronkorua Ole Ntimama has landed in court.

His two children, Lydia Naneu Ntimama and Amos Ntimama, have sued a biographer Patu Santoo Ole Naikumi, seeking to block him from publishing the story of their late father.

Minister for National Heritage & Culture died on September 1, 2016 at the age 86.

Lydia’s and Amos’s lawyer Gertrude Kibare alleged that Ntimama had initially contracted  the Maasai Mara University to document his life’s story.

She explained that he, however, died without the book being published.

Kibare said that the family decided to keep his legacy by completing the book, as it would document their history.

She claimed Santoo allegedly approached Naneu with a proposal to co-author the biography. According to her, the agreement was allegedly the same would be free of charge.

“Consequently, the first applicant in collaboration with the second applicant prepared and provided the respondent with materials, information and transcripts to aid in co-authorship of the biography of the late Ole Ntimama,” she said in the case filed before the High Court.

In her supporting affidavit, Naneu said that Ntimama had in mind writing a book about himself 10 years before he died.

She said that after his death, they obtained the unfinished manuscript from Maasai Mara to complete the autobiography.

“ Our family agreed that the book ought to be drafted in a manner that would preserve out father’s legacy, memory and his original vision when he started authoring his autobiography. It was based on this understanding that we procured the assistance of the respondent who agreed to collaborate with us willingly without compensation,” alleged Naneu.

According to her, Santoo was to write about Ntimama’s chapter in politics, based on information that was in the public domain.

She further claimed that they gave him the unfinished manuscript, information, interviews and materials about the former Maa leader’s personal life to beef up the biography.

“ While we were keen on finishing our father’s along awaited biography, the respondent, on the other hand, failed to deliver on the chapters he was tasked to do and resorted to providing excuses, further prolonging the over 10 years waiting period,” claimed Naneu.

  She claimed that the reason given by Santoo was that the cyber fees and printing charges were allegedly high.

“ The respondent, therefore, demanded financial upkeep, and we agreed to give him approximately Sh 5000 to Sh 7000 per week to cater for the expenses associated with the biography,” she continued.

Despite that, Naneu said that Santoo did not honour his end of bargain.

This time, she claimed, he allegedly demanded that they pay him Sh 1 million and 20 percent of royalties that would be generated from selling the book. According to her, this new condition was to be allegedly met before he surrendered the chapters he had written.

She further alleged that he embarked on publishing the book, arguing this was a hijack after refusal to give in to his demands.

“ The respondent published and or posted in the Maa Unity Agenda (MUA) WhatsApp group with over 1000 members a cover page of book priced at Sh 3000 and titled ‘ A biography of William Ronkorua Ole Ntimama: A Maa Polymath, Titan and Marverick and Icaon of resilience, architect of Maa Renaissance,’ by Parro Santoo Ole Naikumi,” she said adding that he allegedly indicated that it had taken him over a year to research and finish the book.

She said that Naneu had also alleged that he had sent his manuscript to an Indian firm for publishing.

Naneu asserted that this was without Ntimama’s family consent.

According to her, they engaged Santoo in the final stages of the book in trust that he would honour his work. She accused him of breaching their right to protect Ntimama’s legacy and vision for a book.

The two want the court to bar him from publishing the same. At the same time, they want the court to force him to produce the true account of the alleged publishing deal with the Indian company and take down and destroy all copies of the alleged book.

They are also seeking damages in the case.