Leaders from Laikipia County have called on the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) to sign the Kenya-United Kingdom Defence Cooperation Agreement on terms that respect Kenya’s sovereignty, saying the renewal of the pact should guarantee greater benefits for host communities and accountability for offences committed by foreign troops.
The leaders said they support the continued presence of BATUK in Kenya but insisted that the agreement must safeguard national interests, enhance local development and ensure justice for victims of alleged crimes involving British soldiers.
Speaking during an economic empowerment forum in Naibor, Laikipia North Member of Parliament Sarah Korere, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri and Laikipia Woman Representative Jane Kagiri called for increased employment opportunities for local residents, expanded corporate social responsibility programmes and greater accountability from BATUK.
Korere said the unresolved murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old woman allegedly killed by a British soldier in Nanyuki in 2012, remains a key concern for residents and leaders in the region.
“If they kill our women, they should be charged here in Kenya. We said those who killed Agnes should be extradited and charged here for justice to prevail. They don’t want to do that. I want to tell them that you can’t blackmail us,” she said.
The legislator claimed BATUK had been reluctant to conclude the agreement because it requires British personnel accused of committing offences in Kenya to face the country’s justice system.
“If a Kenyan kills a Briton, he will be charged in Britain and not in Kenya. The British Army can’t blackmail us. You can’t colonize us again through the backdoor,” Korere said, adding that Parliament was ready to approve the agreement if it adequately protects Kenya’s interests.
Kiunjuri echoed the sentiments, accusing BATUK of overlooking local residents in employment opportunities by sourcing labour from outside the county, including Nairobi, even for casual jobs that could be undertaken by local youth.
He urged the British Army to prioritize communities hosting its training facilities through employment, procurement opportunities and investment in community development projects.
BATUK’s operations in Kenya have previously attracted criticism over allegations of human rights abuses and environmental damage, including the March 2021 Lolldaiga wildfire that destroyed more than 12,000 acres of land and affected residents and wildlife. The incident was linked by critics to British military training activities, although investigations into aspects of the fire have continued.
The leaders’ remarks come amid increased public attention following the relocation of BATUK’s 2026 military exercise, Haraka Storm, to Tanzania, prompting speculation over the future of British military training operations in Kenya.
The Kenyan Government has, however, dismissed claims that BATUK is winding up its operations, maintaining that the bilateral defence partnership remains intact.
Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi said on Friday that the Defence Cooperation Agreement is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations for consideration in accordance with the Constitution and other legal requirements.
For decades, BATUK has maintained a significant presence in Laikipia and Samburu counties, hosting thousands of British troops annually for military training exercises.
Earlier this month, during a visit to Laikipia, British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to investigating allegations involving British soldiers in Kenya and cooperating with Kenyan authorities on cases relating to human rights and environmental concerns.
He also described Kenya as the United Kingdom’s closest security and defence partner in Africa, saying BATUK remains a strategic asset that continues to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
By Muturi Mwangi
