Over 1,000 residents of Lolldaiga community in Laikipia have sued the British Army over loss of livelihoods and health challenges.
Majority of the residents are complaining of poor eye sight, attributing it to chemicals used during military training exercises in their neighbourhood.
The fire that engulfed Lolldaiga in the conservancy has led to immense difficulty in breathing by hundreds of residents, animals loosing eyesight completely and wildlife invading people’s homes destroying crops and houses.
The British High Commission in Kenya launched an investigation after five elephants were reportedly killed in the fires during exercise at the Lolldaiga military training area in Nanyuki, Laikipia County.
In a statement, the commission said reports of the dead elephants as well as a social media post by one of the British soldiers are being looked into.
“We can confirm that there has been a fire during a UK-led exercise in Lolldaiga Conservancy and that investigations are ongoing. Our priority is to urgently assist the local community where they have been impacted,” the commission confirmed.
The commission said that they are putting all their resources into containing the fire and they working closely with the Kenyan authorities to manage the situation.
“The welfare of the local community and its wildlife is of the utmost concern to the UK. Reports of dead elephants are being looked into as a matter of urgency by the British Army, Kenyan Authorities and our Loldaiga Conservancy partners. We are extremely concerned by a social media post by a member of British Army and it is being investigated,” it added.
The matter will be heard on June 3,2021 at the Nyeri Land and Environment Court. British Army last month filed in the same court that Kenyan courts have no jurisdictions to be sued.