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Kenyan MPs Vote for Amendments to Defense Deal with UK to Allow Local Prosecution of Troops

© AFP 2024 TONY KARUMBASoldiers climb into a military truck during a simulated military excercise of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) together with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at the ol-Daiga ranch, high on Kenya’s Laikipia plateau on March 26, 2018.
Soldiers climb into a military truck during a simulated military excercise of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) together with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at the ol-Daiga ranch, high on Kenya’s Laikipia plateau on March 26, 2018. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 13.04.2023
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On Tuesday, Kenya's National Assembly started debates on possible changes to a defense cooperation agreement between the African country and the UK. The move comes amid growing public outrage and allegations that the British troops visiting Kenya for training murdered locals and engaged in other criminal activity.
The National Assembly has voted to introduce several amendments to the defense agreement with Britain following accusations that the British troops committed serious offenses, breaching the country's laws as well as international legal norms, media reported.
The amendments provide in particular for murder to be added as one of the offenses that must be prosecuted under Kenyan law. This comes amid stalled progress on the case of Agnes Wanjiru, who was allegedly killed by a British soldier in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, in 2012.
The amended agreement is now expected to go to the Kenyan Ministry of Defence for further consideration and consultation with the UK.
The changes to the defense deal were initially proposed to the parliament by a Defense and Foreign Relations Committee. The committee's chair Nelson Koech stated that the proposal is made on account "of the slow pace of the wheels of justice in the case" of Wanjiru.

"This recommendation will ensure that visiting troops undertake their training, within Kenyan Law. We don't want a repeat of the Ms. Agnes Wanjiru incident," he underscored.

However, the changes to the agreement, which were voted through this week, are not retroactive. This means that the way the Wanjiru case in particular is being investigated won't be changed in accordance with the amendments.
Soldiers that are part of a training battle group comprising 1 Rifles, 1 Yorks and 1 Irish Guards battalions mount their transport vehicles during a British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) training excercise at the Loldaiga conservancy in Laikipia, on the foot of Mount Kenya, on November 14, 2022.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 12.04.2023
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Kenyan MPs Urge That UK Troops Accused of Murder Be Judged Locally
Previously, the County Government of Laikipia, where the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) is based under the defense cooperation agreement, submitted a memorandum raising concerns over British troops's activities in the county, referring to deaths, injuries and other alleged offenses. The British short-term military training teams are deployed in Kenya to build the capacity of military forces and enhance the response to security threats.
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