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Three elderly Kenyans began a court battle on Monday (July 16th) to win damages from the British government for brutality they claim to have suffered at the hands of colonial officials during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising, AFP reported.

Jane Muthoni Mara, Paulo Muoka Nzili and Wambugu Wa Nyingi are suing the British government with the support of the Kenyan government and the Kenya Human Rights Commission over injuries they say they suffered during the Mau Mau uprisings, in which more than 10,000 people were killed. They demand an apology from the United Kingdom and a welfare fund to support about 1,000 elderly survivors of the uprising.

"We are pleased that finally our clients will be able to tell the court their story," solicitor Martyn Day said ahead of the hearing.

A fourth claimant, Ndiku Mutwiwa Mutua, has died since the High Court ruled in July 2011 that the case could go forward. The British government contends that too much time has elapsed since the uprising for the trial to be fair, a claim that was struck down by a British court.

Opening the case for the Kenyans, barrister Richard Hermer said the existence of thousands of official records meant a fair trial was possible, despite the passage of time and the death of some witnesses. "It is going to take a long time, cost a lot of money and occupy court time," Hermer said.