British Army Cancels Kenya Training After Defence Pact Stalemate

The British Army has called off a planned joint exercise involving the 1st Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, after Kenya refused to ratify a revised bilateral defence agreement. The cancellation affects a training drill that was slated to begin in September at the Laikipia training area. Without the necessary licences, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the exercise will be relocated to a site outside Kenya.

The Guardian

The existing defence partnership allows British forces to use the BATUK base near Nanyuki while Kenyan troops train alongside them. Kenyan lawmakers have sought amendments that would give Kenyan authorities greater powers to prosecute foreign soldiers for offences committed on Kenyan soil and to increase Kenya’s share of the financial payments that Britain provides for hosting the camp. The dispute centres on jurisdiction over serious crimes and the level of monetary compensation.

The Guardian

A MoD spokesperson emphasized the “mutual benefit, respect and cooperation” of the partnership and expressed regret that licences were not granted.

The Guardian

Kenyan civil-society groups have long pressured the government over alleged human-rights violations, environmental damage and sexual abuse linked to the BATUK base. The most high-profile case involves the 2012 death of Agnes Wanjiru, for which a British soldier has been charged with murder; Kenya retained jurisdiction and an extradition hearing is due later this year.

The Guardian

Robert Purkiss, the shadow defence secretary, denied the murder charge and called for stronger accountability measures, including Kenyan jurisdiction over serious offences and enhanced protection for local communities.

The Guardian

• “We recognise the disappointment this decision will cause for those who would have benefited from the economic activity generated by the exercise.” — The MoD spokesperson

The Guardian