A foreign investor from Scotland has decided to donate a multibillion piece of land in Voi, Taita Taveta due to frustrations from the Kenyan Government.
In an exclusive interview with The Scottish Sun, Bruce Bridges revealed that the Kenyan government had refused since 2016 to renew the licence for the land.
The Bridge’s family had been using the land since 1961 to mine gemstones from the area but the operations cannot continue following the impasse with the government.
As such, Bruce has decided to give up the land for nothing to be used as a heritage site and sanctuary for endangered elephants.
The land is located along the corridor that elephants pass through from Tsavo National Park to Tanzania in search of water and pasture.
For over 7 years, Bruce kept the site active with all the mining equipment retained awaiting the government to renew its licence.
Illegal miners have already invaded the land and while an eviction notice has been issued, the government has not relocated them.
In 2009, another bunch of illegal miners invaded the land where they attacked Bruce’s family, killing his father in the process.
In 2014, four people were handed life sentences in connection to the death of Campbell Bridges.
The long court battles with the government and squatters have left Bruce financially drained and he wants to bring an end to it.
“They have cost us millions and millions of pounds over the last 17 years,” he explained why he was giving up on the land.
“After nearly 55 years of my family in Kenya, we could leave with pleasant memories.”
The family which originally came from Aberdeen in Scotland ran into millions when they discovered the precious stones tsavorite in 1961.
