Uncompensated 400 victims of the killer Solai dam tragedy have written to Tindress Patel Coffee Estates Ltd demanding the proprietor to admit civil liability and allow negotiations towards full compensation and settlement of the matter out of court.
Through Gordon Ogolla and Kipkoech Advocates, the victims want the matter settled once and for all that will see individual payouts estimated at Kshs.500 million and infrastructural restoration Kshs.500 million making it a total of Kshs. 1 billion.
Addressing media in Nakuru, Lawyer Bernhard Kipkoech Ng’etich said their major basis is on the Solai Senate report recommendation on compensation of the victims.
Some of the victims lost their property, land, and houses destroyed besides sustaining injuries.According to the lawyer, the 400 victims now want compensation through dialogue as opposed to moving to court.
They have however given the Tindress Patel Coffee Estates Ltd owner 7 days ultimatum to respond to their demands failure to which they will move to court” said Lawyer Ng’etich.
“Having listened to the victims, they would want to have a talk and have them compensated through dialogue. We expect the management of the firm to respond within 7 days” said Ng’etich.
The lawyer calling on Government and the Patel firm owners to ensure the matter is solved soonest and the 400 victims compensated.
He says a visit to Solai 3 months down the line after the tragedy shows that life of the locals was ruined by the tragedy hence need for compensation to pick up the pieces.
“My request to the government is to ensure that the compensation issue is addressed so that the victims can be settled once and for all” said Ng’etich.
Sentiments echoed by Kabazi Ward MCA Dr.Peter Mbae who admitted that indeed a lot of reports had been made about the Solai Dam tragedy.
While agreeing with the recent Senate report on the same, Dr.Mbae said a time had come that the matter should be addressed once and for all to allow the victims of the killer dam compensated in order to go back to their normal lives.
“There have been so many reports on the Solai Dam tragedy and I think time is now that we have to solve this matter once and for all to allow the victims to go back to their normal lives” said Dr.Mbae.
PHOTO/Pristone Mambili:Kabazi Ward MCA Dr.Peter Mbae(centre) and Lawyer Bernhard Kipkoech Ng’etich during addressing media in Nakuru on August 22 2018.
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