Nairobi, Kenya – August 27, 2025
The British government has agreed to pay £2.9 million (about KSh 505 million) in compensation to more than 7,700 Kenyans affected by a massive wildfire sparked by a British Army training exercise in 2021.
The fire, which began during a drill at the Lolldaiga Hills Conservancy in Laikipia County, destroyed over 12,000 acres of land, killed wildlife, and left local communities grappling with toxic smoke and health complications. One person was killed, and dozens were injured as residents joined efforts to contain the blaze.
The payout comes after Kenya’s Environment and Land Court, presided over by Justice Kossy Bor, ruled that the British Army could no longer claim blanket immunity from civil suits filed in Kenya. The judgment has been hailed as historic, opening the door for greater accountability in cases involving foreign troops operating on Kenyan soil.
Yet, despite the breakthrough, the settlement has sparked widespread anger across affected communities. On average, individuals will receive just £129 (around KSh 22,500)—a figure many residents say does not reflect the magnitude of their losses.
“To learn that people are receiving just twenty-two thousand shillings after everything we went through is shocking,” said Charles Ndungu, a resident of Laikipia who helped fight the flames in 2021.
Initially, victims and advocacy groups had sought £575 million in damages, citing environmental destruction, livestock deaths, and lasting respiratory illnesses. The significantly lower payout has led to disillusionment, with some community leaders now exploring options for further legal and political action.
Beyond the wildfire, the ruling has reignited debates about the presence of the British Army in Kenya. The British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), which trains thousands of soldiers annually in Laikipia and Samburu, has long faced allegations ranging from environmental damage to misconduct, including fathering children with Kenyan women.
Civil society groups are now calling for a review of the 2015 Defence Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and the UK to ensure accountability, fair compensation mechanisms, and stronger protections for local communities.
For many Kenyans, the case is seen as a double-edged victory—a legal breakthrough overshadowed by what they view as inadequate justice.
