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British military to compensate Laikipia’s Lolldaiga fire victims

Thursday, October 6th, 2022 03:45 | By
Lolldaiga fire incidents victims follow keenly as their lawyers address them at Nanyuki Law Courts on Monday October 3, 2022. PD/Muturi Mwangi

After a long wait for justice, over 1,500 Lolldaiga inferno victims in Laikipia North are set to be compensated.

Speaking to the media in Nanyuki town Monday, Kelvin Kubai, a lawyer representing the Lolldaiga community revealed that they had received claim forms from the Intergovernmental Liaison Committee, which they are expected to fill and submit within sixty days. “We are very happy with the new development given the much patience and harm that has been going with the community. We appreciate the measures that are being taken to at least take action and responsibility for the environmental damage caused by the British Army,” said Kubai, adding that there was light at the end of the tunnel on environmental justice and for the victims.

The 1,500 Lolldaiga fire victims had thronged the Nanyuki law court, where they were being advised on how they would fill the claim forms by their lawyers.

The lawyer said they had received over 500 claims from the Lolldaiga community, but noted that environmental claims continue to increase due to inferno that had left at least 12,000 acres of land destroyed in March 26, 2021. It is believed British Army Training Unit-Kenya (BATUK) activities in the area had prompted the fire.

Maxwell Gichui, a lawyer representing African Centre for Corrective and Preventive Action (ACCPA), said filing the claims forms was a relief for the Lolldaiga fire victims. Sieku Kaparo, one of the victims, said the inferno had affected them and their livestock had died. He called on the government to ensure all the victims are compensated based on what they had lost due to the fire.

Laikipia County lawyer, Alexander Muchemi, said they will help the community get medical reports to support the victims’ claims for compensation. He noted that Laikipia residents had not been sufficiently involved when the government was negotiating with BATUK on Defence Cooperation Agreement to allow their operation on Kenyan soil.

However, he revealed they were addressing the anomaly in bid to ensure residents are able to highlight what they go through due to training activities, when such agreements are being negotiated and signed.

Health complications

The fire incident saw the victims complain of health complications, where they said pregnant women were giving birth to children with deformities. “New born babies to women who were pregnant during the fire incident have also been affected. Our record shows that six babies born in the past few months have various health complications ranging from heart failure and nerve disorders, which are a probable effect of poisonous gases inhaled by their mothers,” a summon statement that was lodged on June this year at the Nanyuki Environment and Lands court seeking to compel the former Defence Cabinet Secretary, Eugene Wamalwa, and his United Kingdom counterpart, Ben Wallace, to issue orders of compensating the Lolldaiga inferno victims read.

It was also alleged that Linus Murangiri, was crushed by the British Army vehicle as he tried to help stop the fire.

Karen Garwiri, Muraguri’s widow in a previous interview with the media said, “He was working at Lolldaiga, the vehicle lost control, he was trying to put the fire off, I am going through difficult times because he left behind two children who need education and a good life, he was our sole breadwinner”.   

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