Batuk victims cry foul in fire row
Fire seen in this picture at Lolldiga hills in Laikipia County on March 26, 2021. Residents are seeking compensation for the fire caused by British soldiers.
What you need to know:
- The British Army is accused of starting a fire that destroyed more than 10,000 acres in Lolldaiga in early 2021.
- It is the first time a dispute involving foreign soldiers will be overseen by a Kenyan court following a ruling by Justice Antonina Kossy Bor of the Environment Court which stripped the UK immunity from civil suits.
- Aside from environmental damage, the community is pushing for compensation on medical grounds.
Residents of Lolldaiga in Laikipia County seeking compensation for a fire caused by British soldiers in March last year must prove land ownership and damage, a team overseeing the dispute says.
This comes even as the British Army appears to be taking responsibility for the damage at Lolldaiga Conservancy after compensation proceedings were initiated this week.
An intergovernmental liaison committee formed by Kenyan and British military officials last Monday welcomed 1,496 residents to submit formal compensation claims for the fire that razed more than 10,000 acres.
The locals have 60 days to submit their claims.
It is the first time a dispute involving foreign soldiers will be overseen by a Kenyan court following a ruling by Justice Antonina Kossy Bor of the Environment Court which stripped the UK immunity from civil suits.
While the development is a win for the Lolldaiga community, the committee issued tough rules and a rigid checklist for proving damage.
Witnesses
According to a template of the form seen by the Saturday Nation, a claimant would have to give a detailed explanation of the injuries and damage.
They must give contact details of witnesses as well as police records indicating the incident.
The claimants must produce medical records that show the injuries suffered during the blaze.
A claim of damage to property would need proof. It must be accompanied by proof of ownership.
Ironically, the conservancy could end up as the biggest beneficiary if the checklist is anything to go by.
This has elicited protests from Lolldaiga Community lawyer Kelvin Kubai who maintains that the conservancy should not get anything.
The British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk), its commanding officer and Lolldaiga Hills Ltd are listed as respondents in the suit.
“They are perpetrators as they allowed British soldiers to conduct live fire exercises in a fragile ecosystem and a sanctuary for endangered species,” Mr Kubai said.
The Saturday Nation has also been informed that the conservancy management has since changed.
Aside from environmental damage, the community is pushing for compensation on medical grounds.
