UK soldiers stationed in Kenya are under scrutiny in a new parliamentary probe over alleged misconduct. The investigation, led by a committee dealing with defense and foreign relations, has uncovered claims of sexual abuse and environmental harm linked to British troops stationed there. These troops are part of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), which has been the subject of repeated allegations in recent years.
The report reveals that some soldiers from BATUK have caused tension in the region, leading to questions about how accountable the unit is under the long-term military partnership between Kenya and the UK.
The findings include multiple unresolved cases that have sparked public anger and are putting pressure on authorities to improve monitoring and oversight.
In response, a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Reuters that the ministry "deeply regrets the challenges that have arisen regarding our defense presence in Kenya" and said it will look into the new claims once proper evidence is provided.
One major case highlighted in the report involves the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old woman who was shot near a British military base in Nanyuki.
The main suspect, British soldier Robert Purkiss, was arrested in the UK last month. His arrest followed years of campaigning by Wanjiru's family and Kenyan human rights groups, who claimed previous investigations were blocked by the UK-Kenya defense agreement.
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