UK Resumes Military Training in Kenya

Kenya and the United Kingdom have agreed to resume British military training exercises in Kenya after finalising a new defence cooperation agreement, ending days of uncertainty over the future of the long-standing programme.

The training exercises had been delayed after Kenyan lawmakers raised concerns about the protection of communities living near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) facilities. Legislators also called for greater accountability over allegations of human rights abuses involving British troops stationed in the country.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, welcomed the renewed agreement, describing the defence partnership as one built over decades on mutual respect, constructive engagement and a shared commitment to regional peace and security. The British government also confirmed that Kenya had granted the licences and approvals required for the training programme to resume later this year.

Britain maintains about 200 military personnel in Kenya, where they train more than 1,000 Kenyan soldiers each year before deployment to neighbouring Somalia in support of operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group. The United Kingdom also invests more than 1.1 billion Kenyan shillings annually in the defence partnership, which includes training, infrastructure and other forms of military cooperation.

The agreement comes amid longstanding concerns over incidents involving British troops in Kenya. Kenyan lawmakers have repeatedly demanded justice in the 2012 death of Agnes Wanjiru, whose body was found near the British training base after she was reportedly last seen with British soldiers. Concerns have also been raised over environmental damage linked to a fire caused during a military exercise in 2021. Neither government commented on those issues while announcing the agreement.

SOURCE: TRTAfrika