The UK government has agreed to pay £2.9 million in compensation to over 7,000 Kenyans affected by a devastating fire caused by a British military training exercise in 2021.
The fire broke out in the Lolldaiga conservancy in Kenya’s Rift Valley, destroying approximately 7,000 acres of private land and causing significant environmental damage.
The claimants alleged that the fire resulted in property loss and health complications due to smoke inhalation.
The British High Commission in Nairobi described the fire as “extremely regrettable” and acknowledged the considerable time and effort invested in resolving the claims. Kelvin Kubai, the lawyer representing the claimants, termed the settlement the “best possible outcome,” despite his clients’ concerns that the compensation amounts were too small to cover their losses.
The incident has sparked controversy, with allegations of British soldiers’ misconduct in Kenya, including fatal hit-and-runs, murder, and sexual exploitation of Kenyan women.
The Lolldaiga conservancy, where the fire occurred, is part of the Laikipia plateau, an area with a complex history of land disputes dating back to the colonial era.
