The families of the victims of the 2018 dam disaster in Kenya have recently come to an out-of-court agreement with the owner of the facility. Facilitated by Kenya’s Human Rights Commission, the settlement stipulates compensation of Ksh1.2 million ($8,000) for affected adults and Ksh800,000 ($5,300) for minors who suffered losses in the tragic event, as announced in a statement by the commission on Tuesday.
This catastrophic incident unfolded in 2018 when the dam gave way under the strain of heavy rainfall, unleashing a torrent of water that inundated the fields of a 3,000-acre commercial coffee farm. The deluge swept away homes and crop farms downstream.
According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission, the disaster claimed the lives of at least 47 people, including 20 children. Additionally, thousands were forced to evacuate their homes as the dam’s waters surged through nearby villages.
In response to the incident, the dam owners faced charges related to various offenses, including the failure to conduct an environmental impact assessment report prior to constructing the facility.
During the court proceedings, experts emphasized that the dam, situated in Nakuru County, lacked a proper drainage system
