NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 11 — The British High Commission has demanded a government response over the use of a British Army uniform during protests against a US-linked Ebola quarantine facility in Nanyuki, distancing the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) from the security opera …
Agnes Wanjiru's family locked out of Parliamentary session on BATUK inquiry By Agencies June 11, 2026 09:23 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Esther Njoki, a niece to Agnes Wanjiru and the family spokesperson …
… The controversy has also revived discussion around the presence of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in neighbouring Laikipia County, with some analysts arguing that foreign-linked institutions continue to exert significant influence over land, wildlife and security ma …
… He referenced existing international facilities and cooperation with allied nations BATUK and German military bases, potential alternatives for providing medical support and patient care. …
… The arrangement mirrors protections granted to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), which has operated in Nanyuki since the first Kenya-UK defence agreement signed in June 1964. …
… The debate has revived memories of the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru in Nanyuki, a case linked to soldiers attached to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). …
… The most glaring and often repeated example of this is the long-standing presence of British troops under the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). …
LAIKIPIA, Kenya Apr 27 – Soldiers from the British Army Training Unit Kenya joined dozens of volunteers over the weekend in a 10-kilometre charity run aimed at raising awareness on menstrual hygiene and supporting vulnerable girls and women in Laikipia County. …
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has backed demands for justice against members of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) found culpable of past abuses, calling for independent investigations and compensation mechanisms for victims. He rejected legal immunity for foreign troops and stressed that British military personnel must be subject to legal accountability under Kenyan domestic jurisdiction.
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has backed demands for justice against members of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) found culpable of past abuses, calling for independent investigations and compensation mechanisms for victims. He rejected legal immunity for foreign troops and stressed that British military personnel must be subject to legal accountability under Kenyan domestic jurisdiction.
A Kenyan Parliamentary Report dated 25 November 2025 has highlighted significant labour and safety shortcomings at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), including systemic vulnerabilities faced by local Kenyan workers in high-risk roles, alongside concerns about sexual misconduct, human rights, and environmental impacts.
Laikipia MPs have called for revision of Kenya's 2021 Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United Kingdom, citing concerns over jurisdiction and accountability for alleged abuses by British troops. The plea follows a parliamentary petition from victims' representatives in August, calling for a halt to ratification until outstanding cases involving alleged sexual violence and other abuses are resolved.
Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua is asserting that leaks within state security and State House give him unprecedented insight into President Ruto's government, repeatedly anticipating executive moves and releasing sensitive operational details at rallies and press conferences.
Victims of British Army Training Unit Kenya operations have asked Parliament to suspend renewal of the Kenya-UK Defence Cooperation Agreement until alleged misconduct cases are resolved. The November 2025 parliamentary report documented allegations of rape, sexual assault, deaths and injuries from unexploded ordnance, and environmental damage.
Discussion of the Kenya–United Kingdom Defence Cooperation Agreement has sparked debate over BATUK's presence in Laikipia, with arguments for its departure citing historical atrocities and concerns about colonialism, while Nanyuki residents worry that the departure of British troops would devastate the local economy that depends on the annual arrival of thousands of soldiers.
Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua vowed to continue exposing what he describes as secret government dealings during a political tour of Laikipia County, claiming his intervention prevented the relocation of British Army training operations from Kenya and urging support for his bid ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says he gathers intelligence through informants in the civil service, police, National Intelligence Service, and state corporations, and shares information only after verification while protecting source identities.
Kenya and the United Kingdom have announced the resumption of joint military training between the Kenya Defence Forces and the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki, after uncertainty over its cancellation. Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the resolution demonstrates the two countries' ability to resolve challenges through dialogue while maintaining their strategic partnership.
Kenya and the United Kingdom have agreed to resume joint military training exercises at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) following consultations, marking a renewed commitment to their defence partnership. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the resumption strengthens the Kenya Defence Forces' operational capabilities, enhances regional peace and security, and delivers economic benefits to host communities.
Laikipia leaders have called for the pending Kenya-United Kingdom Defence Cooperation Agreement to be signed unconditionally, insisting that British soldiers accused of crimes in Kenya must face trial in Kenyan courts.
Kenya has welcomed the resumption of joint military exercises at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) following a licensing dispute that threatened to force the UK to relocate its annual September drills. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the decision reflects the strength of the Kenya-UK defence partnership despite recent challenges.
Kenya and the UK failed to reach a deal on joint military training after the UK announced the 2026 exercise with the Kenyan Defence Forces will be held outside Kenya due to unsuccessful attempts to secure licenses. Parliament's Defence Committee chair Nelson Koech attributed the move to concerns over legal jurisdiction and immunity for British personnel, as well as grievances linked to the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, which has been connected to British soldiers attached to BATUK.
DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has alleged that bribery demands by President Ruto through Members of Parliament led to the cancellation of a planned UK military training exercise in Nanyuki involving 1,500 British soldiers scheduled for September 2026. The UK Ministry of Defence cancelled the exercise citing disagreements over defence arrangements.
Kenya's Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary dismissed reports that the UK-Kenya defence partnership had ended, saying the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) arrangement remains active despite a dispute over a planned military exercise and delayed operational licences during the parliamentary renewal of the Defence Cooperation Agreement.
The United Kingdom has moved its planned Haraka Storm military exercise out of Kenya after the Kenyan government failed to issue the necessary licences to conduct training in Laikipia between September and November. The UK stressed that the decision affects only this exercise and does not signal an end to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) or the wider UK-Kenya defence partnership.
The UK Ministry of Defence has cancelled the 2026 "Exercise Haraka Storm" joint training exercise with the Kenya Defence Forces in Laikipia, citing unsuccessful attempts to secure the necessary licences. The six-week combat training program will now be held at an alternative location outside Kenya.
The UK has cancelled a planned military training exercise in Laikipia after the Kenyan government failed to issue required licences, amid stalled ratification of a 2021 Defence Cooperation Agreement. A coalition of human rights activists, victims' families, and local leaders have submitted a petition to Parliament and state agencies setting conditions for any renewed deal, citing concerns over legal jurisdiction and historical injustices.
The United Kingdom has moved a planned military training exercise called 'Haraka Storm' from Laikipia to an alternative location in a neighbouring country after required licences were not approved by the Kenyan government. The relocation follows months of tension over a proposed Defence Cooperation Agreement governing the operations of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).
British High Commissioner Matt Baugh assured that the UK government is investigating alleged atrocities committed by British troops during training exercises in Kenya, affirming cooperation with Kenyan authorities over concerns regarding human rights violations and environmental damage.
Britain's High Commissioner assures Kenya that the UK government is investigating allegations of atrocities committed by British troops during military training exercises, and reaffirmed London's commitment to cooperate with Kenyan authorities on human rights violations and environmental degradation linked to British soldiers' activities.
The British High Commissioner to Kenya, Matt Baugh, visited Laikipia County to discuss UK partnerships including the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). The delegation opened a new dining room and assembly hall at Temmakis Primary School, built by BATUK.
Traders in Nanyuki accuse the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) of economic exclusion through directives that prevent British soldiers from purchasing goods and services from local businesses. A curio shop owner reports daily sales have dropped by almost 80 per cent, with the impact extending to clothing stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, butchers, and vegetable vendors.
Local business owners in Nanyuki say the British Army Training Unit Kenya is crippling their businesses by directing soldiers to spend exclusively at a single British-owned establishment, Urban Smoke Hotel. A trader of four decades claims the practice has "killed all the business" for local traders.
Local business owners in Nanyuki have accused the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) of directing British soldiers to spend exclusively at a single British-owned establishment, Urban Smoke Hotel, claiming the practice has crippled their businesses. A curio shop operator of four decades says soldiers are instructed by their management to spend only at that venue, leaving local traders struggling.
The National Assembly Defence and Foreign Relations Committee plans to push for changes to the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the UK during its 2026 review, seeking to remove legal protections that allow British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) personnel to avoid Kenyan scrutiny. The committee wants revised provisions requiring British troops to cooperate with parliamentary inquiries, judicial proceedings and criminal investigations.
Public opposition is building ahead of planned June 25 demonstrations against a proposed U.S.-funded 50-bed Ebola treatment and research centre at Laikipia Air Base, with residents, activists and civil society groups raising concerns over transparency, sovereignty and foreign influence. Earlier protests in Nanyuki on June 1 and June 9 resulted in deaths.
Public opposition is mounting ahead of planned June 25 demonstrations against a proposed U.S.-funded Ebola treatment and research centre in Laikipia County, with residents, activists and civil society groups questioning the project's purpose, transparency, sovereignty and foreign influence. Earlier protests erupted in Nanyuki on June 1 and June 9, with deaths reported during the unrest.
A 17-year-old was killed during anti-Ebola facility protests in Nanyuki on June 9, prompting the British High Commission to ask the Kenyan government for clarification after a police officer allegedly wore a British military uniform during the clashes. Police say the cause of death will be determined through post-mortem examination, with investigations ongoing.