Kenyan Lawmakers Accuse British Troops Of Abuse And Environmental Harm

Kenya’s national assembly has levelled allegations that British military personnel have committed years of sexual assaults, killings, human rights abuses, and serious environmental damage during their training activities in the country.

The findings included emotional accounts from residents of Laikipia and Samburu counties living near the training camps.

Investigators say the British contingent repeatedly avoided responsibility by declining to participate in the parliamentary probe.

The UK High Commission in Kenya said it regretted that its submission was not reflected in the report’s conclusions and affirmed its readiness to investigate the allegations “under our jurisdiction fully, once evidence is provided”.

British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) personnel have operated in the central region for decades, but their activities have long been dogged by claims of misconduct and rights violations.

More than a thousand Kenyan service members undergo training with British instructors annually, while thousands of UK troops rotate through the country for joint exercises.

A two-year inquiry, summarised in a 94-page document, concluded that Batuk had engaged in ongoing ethical violations, human rights abuses, environmental negligence, and questionable labour practices.

The committee based its findings on testimony from affected civilians, victims, community figures, civil society groups, and public institutions.

During the investigation, local communities reported killings, assaults, maimings, bar brawls, and fatal road incidents involving Batuk soldiers.

The report said that Batuk was “increasingly seen as an occupying presence rather than a development partner, with affected residents drawing parallels to colonial injustices”.

One of the most prominent cases referenced was the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru, whose remains were discovered in a hotel septic tank in Nanyuki nearly three months after she was last seen with British soldiers.

The panel said the “pursuit of justice has been slow and fraught with frustration”.

“It was submitted that the process of investigation has faced undue interference and obstruction, allegedly by Batuk personnel, which continues to hinder the delivery of justice,” it added.

A former British soldier linked to Wanjiru’s murder was arrested last month due to a warrant issued in the UK and is now subject to extradition proceedings. He has denied wrongdoing, and his legal counsel plans to challenge the transfer.

Another cited case involved the “unlawful killing” of herder Tilam Leresh allegedly by a Batuk sergeant in 2012, “yet no arrest or prosecution has taken place in either Kenya or the UK”.

The UK has previously expressed regret over Leresh’s shooting by an on-duty British soldier, but in a statement to the parliamentary committee in October, the Ministry of Defence noted that British prosecutors had concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. The UK said it remained open to considering any new evidence that might emerge.

The report also noted “disturbing trends of sexual misconduct by Batuk personnel” and claimed that survivors of sexual violence reported cases being dropped or mishandled by local authorities, with “many victims denied access to justice”.

It cited “compelling evidence” of widespread sexual violence perpetrated by Batuk soldiers particularly against women from the Samburu and Maasai communities.

“Cases of rape and sexual violence by Batuk soldiers remain unresolved, and justice has not been served to the victims.”

Victims recounted how soldiers allegedly targeted local women while they were carrying out daily tasks such as fetching water, tending cattle, or gathering firewood.

One of the most horrific events described in the report was a 1997 attack in Archer’s Post, where “30 women were gang-raped at knife-point”, including some within their own homes.

Batuk said it had “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse” and took any such allegations very seriously.

Witnesses also recalled multiple incidents of soldiers behaving indecently in public places—exposing themselves, acting aggressively while intoxicated, and engaging in violent or sexually threatening behaviour.

The inquiry also recorded accounts of children left behind by foreign troops.

“Dozens of children have been fathered by British soldiers who returned home, leaving behind single mothers facing stigma and financial hardship,” it stated.

Lawmakers further accused Batuk of failing to conduct mandatory environmental and social impact assessments for its exercises, raising fears about the alleged use of white phosphorus, described as “notorious for the severity of the injuries it causes”.

Communities reported health complications such as breathing problems and miscarriages, as well as livestock deaths linked to toxic fumes and abandoned military materials.

One ranger reportedly died after unknowingly taking unexploded ordnance home from a Batuk testing range, while a child was said to have lost both arms and an eye after finding another device.

In its defence, Batuk said that independent environmental audits showed high levels of compliance with Kenyan regulations.

The committee said Batuk had “persistently” declined to appear before the committee and instead “invoked claims of diplomatic immunity”.

The British defence ministry said it had responded to the issues highlighted during the inquiry and “outlined the actions taken to address the concerns raised”.

In a statement, the UK High Commission said it was prepared to investigate “where new allegations have come to light in the committee’s report”.

“We deeply regret the challenges which have arisen in relation to our defence presence in Kenya,” it said.

The report concluded that the current defence cooperation framework between the two nations was “structurally flawed”, noting that key offences were not properly addressed within the agreement.

It noted that “the offence of murder, despite its gravity, is not explicitly listed… as an offence deemed outside the course of official duty”.

The committee said this omission posed a “significant obstacle to justice,” and criticised the existing oversight structures as largely ineffective.

It recommended changing the agreement to include a stricter code of conduct for visiting forces, stronger policies against gender-based violence, environmental safeguards, and a system for citizen oversight.

The panel also urged Kenya’s defence ministry to negotiate with the UK government on establishing firm procedures to enforce child support obligations involving Batuk soldiers.