UK refutes allegations BATUK officials snubbed Kenyan MPs' summons
The clarification came a day after the committee’s chairperson, Belgut MP Nelson Koech, accused BATUK officials of failing to attend a scheduled session on Tuesday, August 12, over alleged crimes committed by British soldiers.
The British High Commission now says no formal request was ever issued for senior officials from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) to appear before a parliamentary committee, refuting claims they had snubbed the summons.
“Neither the British High Commission, UK Ministry of Defence, nor the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has received a formal invitation to appear before the Kenya National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations,” a spokesperson for the High Commission clarified in a statement on Wednesday.
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The spokesperson added that discussions with Kenyan authorities were ongoing on how best to contribute to the inquiry.
“We continue to discuss with the Government of Kenya and the DIFRC how best to provide information in support of the inquiry,” the statement read.
The clarification came a day after the committee’s chairperson, Belgut MP Nelson Koech, accused BATUK officials of failing to attend a scheduled session on Tuesday, August 12, over alleged crimes committed by British soldiers.
“There are children born out of illegal relationships with British soldiers. This House was reluctant to pass the Defence Cooperation Agreement, so in the eyes of this committee, BATUK are hostile witnesses,” Koech told members.
Koech warned that Parliament could use its powers to compel attendance if the officials continued to be absent.
“We can have them arrested and compelled to appear before it, or impose a fine,” he said.
Only Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya appeared for the Tuesday session, while BATUK representatives were absent. Koech said the unit would be given another opportunity to attend.
In its statement, the British High Commission emphasised the significance of the defence relationship between the two countries.
“The UK-Kenya defence partnership is one of the great strengths of our relationship, and our joint training and collaboration with the Kenyan Defence Forces are keeping both Kenyan and British people safe,” the spokesperson noted.
The committee is probing a string of allegations against BATUK, ranging from corruption and abuse of power to serious human rights violations.
One of the most high-profile cases under scrutiny is the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru, whose body was found in a hotel septic tank in Nanyuki two months after she went missing. Witnesses reported seeing her in the company of British soldiers before her death. While an inquest later identified suspects, no one has been prosecuted more than a decade later.
Fresh claims, brought to light in an ITV documentary, accuse BATUK soldiers of sexual abuse, including rape of girls as young as 13, and paying for sex. Victims have also testified before Parliament about physical injuries and neglect.
One woman, permanently disabled after being hit by a BATUK vehicle, said her medical bills were initially covered, but her compensation later stalled.
“They sent a representative to tell me that they don’t want a court case and that they would take care of my daughter,” she told the BBC.
Others have described severe trauma and frustration over the lack of justice, alleging that some cases were quietly dropped or ignored.
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