Families affected by the tragic Solai dam collapse of 2018 have reached a compensation agreement with the dam's owner, marking a significant development in a case that has been in legal limbo for the past five years.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) played a pivotal role in overseeing this crucial settlement, which will see millions of shillings disbursed to the victims' kin.

The catastrophe unfolded in 2018 when the Solai dam breached, unleashing a torrent of water downstream that inundated fields and homes.

A total of 47 lives were tragically lost in this devastating event.

Subsequently, a manslaughter case was initiated against nine individuals, including the dam owner, Perry Manusukh, and his employees.

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The KHRC represented 29 of the victims in the compensation agreement, linked to the ongoing criminal case against the accused parties.

The compensation arrangement stipulates that the families of adult victims will receive Sh1.2 million each, while the families of minors will be granted Sh800,000.

The official statement from KHRC reads, "Kins of 47 Solai dam tragedy victims agree and sign a compensation deal. KHRC represents 29 victims in this agreement, connected to a manslaughter case against nine people, a dam owner and his workers."

This breakthrough comes after the victims expressed their desire for an out-of-court resolution to the case.

Consequently, the state applied to the court for additional time to facilitate negotiations between the victims and the accused, which has been ongoing at the Naivasha law courts.

The significant step forward materialized a few months after Naivasha Chief Magistrate Nathan Lutta determined that all nine accused individuals had a case to answer.

The charges, filed on May 8, 2018, included 48 counts of manslaughter and a failure to prepare an environmental impact assessment report.

State Counsel Gichuhi Gikui informed the court that victims of the tragedy had met with the accused parties to explore an out-of-court settlement and requested additional time for the negotiations.

"The victims have held meetings with the accused persons seeking an out-of-court settlement, and they are seeking more time to finalize the issue," she stated.

With the compensation agreement in place, the affected families are one step closer to finding closure, while the criminal case against the accused parties continues to unfold in the legal arena.