Kenyan lawmakers accuse British troops of sexual assault, environmental harm

A parliamentary inquiry in Kenya has accused British troops training there of a pattern of sexual misconduct and environmental harm that has led the forces from the former colonial power to be seen as an "occupying presence".

The findings of the investigation by a parliamentary committee focused on defence and foreign relations highlight rising frustrations in the East African country at the conduct of soldiers from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), who have faced a raft of highly-publicised accusations in recent years.

A spokesperson for Britain's defence ministry said in a statement to Reuters that the ministry deeply regrets "the challenges that have arisen in relation to our defence presence in Kenya" and said it was prepared to investigate new allegations in the report once evidence is provided.

Thousands of British troops can pass through Kenya for training missions in any given year.

The most prominent allegation relates to the 2012 murder of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru near the British forces' training camp in the town of Nanyuki.

The suspect, a British soldier named Robert Purkiss, was arrested in Britain last month after years of campaigning by Wanjiru's family and Kenyan rights groups, who said her killers were being shielded by a defence cooperation agreement between the two countries.

Purkiss, who now faces extradition hearings, has denied any involvement in Wanjiru's death.

The committee's report, which was dated November 25 but published on parliament's website on Tuesday, said it had "uncovered a disturbing trend of sexual misconduct by BATUK personnel, marked by rape, assault, and abandonment of children fathered by soldiers".

It said public hearings in areas where BATUK trains had brought to light evidence of numerous injuries and deaths to Kenyans employed by British forces to clear unexploded ordnance without protective equipment, as well as environmental damage caused by the illegal dumping of toxic materials.

"BATUK is increasingly seen as an occupying presence rather than a development partner," it said.

In a statement it provided to the parliamentary committee, BATUK said it has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse and takes any allegations very seriously. It added that environmental audits showed high levels of compliance with Kenyan regulations.

The current defence cooperation agreement between Britain and Kenya was signed in 2021 and expires next year.