The UK has been asked to apologise and compensate members of two communities in western Kenya whose land was taken away during the colonial era and who suffered horrific abuses.

The petition by indigenous Kenyans who had settled in the rich tea zones of Kericho County was made at the UN.

A special rapporteur was established and expressed “concern at the alleged lack of accountability and effective remedy for the victims of gross human rights violations”.

The UN noted that members of the Kipsigis and Tailai communities and other indigenous people suffered rights violations including killings, sexual violence, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, arbitrary displacement and violations of rights to privacy, family life and property.

About 500,000 people suffered these abuses.

Vast pieces of land in the region are now occupied by various British and multinational tea corporations including Findlay’s, Williamson Fine Tea and Unilever.

The UN had written to the UK government in May and said it would publish its findings in 30 days.