The UK government has reached an agreement to compensate thousands of Kenyans who suffered losses due to a fire ignited during a British military training exercise in March 2021. This out-of-court settlement marks the end of a protracted legal battle involving 7,723 claimants who reported property damage and health issues arising from the blaze at the Lolldaiga conservancy, situated in Kenya's Rift Valley.
A representative from the British High Commission in Nairobi expressed that the incident was "extremely regrettable" and mentioned that the UK had invested "considerable time, effort and resource" into addressing the claims. Although the British government has not disclosed the sum involved, a lawyer representing the claimants indicated to the BBC that the compensation amounted to approximately £2.9 million.
Lawyer Kevin Kubai deemed the outcome as the "best possible" resolution, although he acknowledged concerns from clients over the modest compensation amounts relative to their losses. He noted that continuing litigation might have involved nearly another seven years of legal wrangling, which could have been complicated due to the loss of critical evidence over time.
While Mr. Kubai underlined the challenge in proving health damage attributed to smoke inhalation — a consequence of the fire — he admitted that many clients lacked sufficient medical documentation. Similarly, locals cooking with firewood were exposed to smoke, complicating their claims.
The Ministry of Defence from the UK stated in 2022 that the fire was likely triggered by a camp stove accident during the training operations. The incident led to the destruction of around 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) of private land, though they confirmed that community land suffered no direct impact. Local legal actions highlighted potential environmental degradation from smoke and property damage due to panicked wildlife.
In response to the fire's aftermath, the British government has engaged in restoration efforts within the conservancy, which still hosts ongoing military exercises. The Lolldaiga conservancy covers roughly 49,000 acres of rugged terrain against the scenic backdrop of Mount Kenya, sitting on a land historically appropriated by the British during colonial times. This has led to long-standing land disputes in the region.
Just a short distance away is the newly updated Nyati Barracks, a £70 million installation for the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk), which accommodates thousands of British troops annually for extensive training exercises in areas like Lolldaiga.
Despite contributing tens of millions of pounds to the Kenyan economy each year, Batuk has been enmeshed in controversy over the conduct of some soldiers, including serious allegations of hit-and-run incidents, murder, and sexual exploitation of local women.
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