Britain has agreed to pay £2.9 million ($3.9 million) in compensation to thousands of Kenyans after a wildfire caused by its soldiers in 2021, marking the first time the U.K. military has faced civil liability in Kenyan courts.
The settlement follows a ruling by Kenya’s Environment and Land Court, which stripped the British Army of legal immunity on Kenyan soil. Over 7,700 residents, alongside an environmental lobby, had sued after a kerosene stove used by a soldier sparked a blaze in the Lolldaiga Hills, destroying more than 12,000 acres of land. The fire took nearly two weeks to contain, killed one person, and left lasting environmental damage expected to take decades to repair. Locals also reported health complications from toxic smoke.
While the payout was hailed as a legal breakthrough, many residents expressed frustration over the compensation amounts, with some receiving as little as £129 despite initially demanding £575 million. Community representatives warned that protests may follow if further accountability measures are not pursued.
The British Army’s presence in Kenya is under further scrutiny due to ongoing misconduct allegations. A recent U.K. Ministry of Defence report acknowledged that British soldiers in Nanyuki continue to engage in transactional sex despite official bans, confirming findings of a 2024 investigative documentary. Additionally, a British court ruling earlier this year ordered the release of contact details for 11 soldiers accused of fathering children with Kenyan women, raising the prospect of paternity suits and citizenship claims.
Kenya hosts around 3,000 British troops annually under a Defense Cooperation Agreement signed in 2015 and renewed in 2021. The century-old military partnership, once seen as a pillar of bilateral relations, is now facing mounting calls for review amid concerns over accountability and misconduct by foreign troops stationed in the country.