Britain’s payout haunts victims of army missiles

By Job Weru

In 2003, the British government compensated some 500 Kenyans over deaths and injuries suffered from undetonated ordnance left in their grazing fields.

The experience of the Maasai and Samburu herdsmen is being touted as a cautionary tale for Mau Mau-era detainees expecting similar compensation.

In what marked the first huge payment made by the British government to Kenyans, the United Kingdom paid £4.5 million (currently, about Sh585 million) to the herders. But what followed the payment were hilarious tales of extravagance by the pastoralists. Many were said to be flashing wads of notes at traders and residents of Nanyuki, Maralal, Timau, Meru, Isiolo, Archers Post and Merille among other areas.

Their shopping sprees quickly became the stuff of legend. In Nanyuki, prices of most commodities—especially those under demand from pastoral communities—went up by 600 per cent. Mr Bob Gachingiri, a journalist in the town, says most products had two sets of prices.

“If a product sold at a retail price of, say, Sh100, Maasai and Samburu herders had to pay up to Sh1,000 for it,” he said. “The surprising thing is that they did not complain. They had money to spend.”

According to Gachingiri, local bar owners had a field day, as most male herders, freed from their everyday work, resorted to a life of alcohol.

“Whenever they had drunk to drunkenness, bartenders would charge them even three times for the same bill,” he recalls. The extravagance also attracted tens of commercial sex workers who flooded the town to siphon more ‘revenue’ from the beneficiaries. Nanyuki, whose Standard Chartered Bank branch was the payment point, saw its economic base rise suddenly.

The business community had a field day for about three months. Then, as suddenly as it began, the party was over. While some of the claimants still celebrate the achievements they made, others have nothing to look back to but memories of momentary madness.

Desperate cases

During a recent visit to Merille in Marsabit County and Archers Post in Samburu East, we got first hand information on the fate of some of the beneficiaries. One of the desperate cases is one Hassan Sekalpo, a man in his 40s who went through his Sh14 million award in less than three years. When we met him, he appeared drunk, perhaps to drown the memories of his loss.

Sekalpo was paid the money due to injuries, among them, a right-hand amputation he suffered when ordinance he came across exploded.

“We were driving cattle to a watering point in Sereolipi area in Samburu County, when we stumbled on a metallic object,” he said. “I picked it up and placed it on a rock, ready to hit it with a rungu (club).”

The explosion, which he later learnt was heard two kilometres away, left one of his fellow young herders dead, alongside eight cows.

“I survived because the explosion hurled me back into the cattle,” he recalled. “Those left in front, among them the boy and the cattle, died on the spot.” Sekalpo was among the first batch of 233 claimants, whose lawyer, Martin Day of London-based, Leigh Day and Company Solicitors firm managed to strike an out of court settlement of £4.5 million.

“I received Sh14 million compensation,” he said. Rather than admit he squandered it, he accuses an uncle of holding his money. “My uncle was given custody of the money. He only gave me Sh200,000.”

Sekalpo hastily adds that the uncle built him a permanent house, bought him an Isuzu lorry (which he later sold when it broke down) and also stocked his cattle, sheep and goats sheds. He does not say how much this cost. Today, he says, he has none of this wealth apart from the house he lives in. His brother, Yusuf, 19, has a different story about how the millions were lost. He says Sekalpo’s lifestyle changed immediately he got the money. “He started drinking alcohol uncontrollably,” says Yusuf. “We even think he was bewitched or mad.”

Residents of Merille say Sekalpo is now a common figure in the township, a trading centre along the Isiolo-Marsabit road.

“He only indulges in consumption of brews, which he begs for,” said someone who asked not to be named. “He used to flash notes of up to Sh600,000. Now he is one of the poorest people around and cannot work due to his injury.”

The British Army had been using practice ranges in Samburu and Laikipia for about 60 years when they were sued over the unexploded ordnance. Charities Osiligi and Action Aid approached Leigh Day & Company to represent the local community in 2001. Around 230 Kenyans were involved in the legal action, which successfully sued the Britush Ministry of Defence for £4.5 million.

The British government settled the matter out of court in a deal similar to the one recently agreed with Mau Mau-era detainees. 

Following the 2003 payouts, the British Army has made greater efforts to ensure no unexploded ordnance is left behind after their training exercises. According to Mr Johnson ole Kaunga, a former official with Osiligi, claimants were paid amounts in proportion to the level of their injuries. Beatrice Lelekong from Maralal, received Sh30 million – the highest payout. The lowest paid claimant got about Sh30,000.

“The second highest earner was a blind minor, Ilmolian Lekoriani from Archers Post area who received Sh29 million,” Ole Kaunga said in an interview with The Standard On Saturday.  “Mr Kipise Lourokeek was third with Sh19 million. The package was worthwhile, although it is unfortunate that not all claimants put the money in good use,” he said.

Ilmolian Lekoriani was eight years old when he was blinded. He had been sent by his father to round up their calves near Archers Post when he saw three friends playing with a strange object. The object blew up killing his friends and leaving him blind with severe injuries to his face, head and limbs.

Lekoriani was in hospital for a year. As well as being blind, he was left with serious facial disfigurement and lost all of his independence.