A Kenyan parliamentary inquiry has exposed a “disturbing trend of sexual misconduct” at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), citing cases of rape, assault, and the abandonment of children fathered by soldiers.
AFP reported that since Kenya gained independence in 1963, the UK has maintained BATUK on the outskirts of Nanyuki, approximately 200 kilometres north of Nairobi. The Defence Committee’s investigation found decades of sexual assaults by personnel largely went unpunished, with survivors often denied justice. “Cases were dropped or mishandled by local authorities, leaving many victims without recourse,” the report stated, drawing on numerous testimonies collected over more than a year.
The report, dated November 25, comes shortly after the arrest in Britain of 38-year-old soldier Robert James Purkiss, accused of murdering Kenyan mother Agnes Wanjiru in 2012, a case that had long strained diplomatic relations. Purkiss has “vehemently denied” the charges, his lawyer said. Wanjiru, 21 at the time, was found dead in a septic tank at a Nanyuki hotel.
Beyond sexual misconduct, the inquiry highlighted “gross negligence” by BATUK in handling unexploded ordnance, resulting in civilian injuries and deaths. It also condemned environmental damage, including the illegal dumping of military waste and toxic materials, AFP further reported.
The report concluded that BATUK is increasingly perceived by local communities as an occupying force rather than a development partner, with many drawing parallels to colonial-era injustices.
