British Soldiers who caused 10,000 acre bushfire in Kenya lose fight for diplomatic immunity

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 13 – The British Army has lost diplomatic immunity on lawsuits in Kenya over the 10,000 acre bush fire caused by its soldiers who were high on cocaine in Nanyuki.

In the land mark ruling, Justice Antonina Bore arged that the UK government waived diplomatic immunity to legal action when it signed an agreement in 2015 governing the terms under which its soldiers would be allowed to operate in Kenya.

According to the judge, the British Army has no legal entity separate from the UK government.

He opined that the 2015 agreement did amount to a partial waiver of diplomatic immunity.

The judge stated that under the terms of agreement, “it is evident that Kenya would have jurisdiction for civil claims and liabilities arising from activities in its territory under the agreement while the UK would have jurisdiction for civil claims and liabilities arising from activities in its territory”

A huge wildfire at Lolldaiga Hills Ranch, a 49,000-acre sanctuary which houses the Nanyuki army base used by Britain for military drills broke out in March last year and caused widespread devastation.