The chairperson of the National Assembly Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, Nelson Koech, has finally broken his silence over the cancelled joint military training between Kenya and the United Kingdom, putting to rest the rumours that have been flying around.
Speaking on Sunday, Koech made it clear that the whole issue boils down to one thing accountability. The UK had announced on Thursday that their 2026 joint training with the Kenya Defence Forces would be held outside the country after they failed to secure the necessary licences. But Koech says there is more to the story than just permits.
According to the Belgut MP, the real problem is the legal jurisdiction over British personnel and the immunity they enjoy while on Kenyan soil. He said Kenya is not about to just roll over and accept a deal that does not respect our laws and our people. The committee has been pushing for amendments that would give Kenyan courts the power to prosecute foreign troops who commit serious crimes here.
And you cannot talk about this without mentioning the name Agnes Wanjiru. Her murder back in 2012, which has been linked to British soldiers attached to BATUK, has been hanging over this relationship like a dark cloud. To date, nobody has been held accountable.
A Kenyan court even issued an arrest warrant for a British national suspected of killing her, but the suspect has never been brought back to face justice.
Koech revealed that his committee conducted a two-year inquiry into BATUK's operations in Kenya and tabled a report before the National Assembly in November 2025. That report was very clear — ratification of the defence agreement should only proceed if certain conditions are met.
These conditions include Kenyan courts having jurisdiction over serious offences committed by visiting troops, binding cooperation with Kenyan criminal investigations and parliamentary inquiries, environmental responsibilities, welfare and child-support obligations, and stronger protection for host communities. In short, if British soldiers commit crimes here, they must answer to Kenyan law like everyone else.
Koech stressed that the agreement was inked under the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, which gives effect to Article 2(6) of the Constitution. He noted that Kenya values its long defence partnership with the UK, which has delivered real benefits in counter-terrorism and building our defence capacity. But he was quick to add that partnership must rest on equality, respect for Kenyan law, and genuine accountability.
"Kenya values its long defence partnership with the United Kingdom... But partnership must rest on equality, on respect for Kenyan law, and on genuine accountability. That is the standard the Committee has upheld transparently, and on the record and it is the standard we will continue to uphold: for the people of Nanyuki and Laikipia, for the family of the late Agnes Wanjiru, and for the sovereignty of the Republic of Kenya," Koech said.
The training that was cancelled, known as "Exercise Haraka Storm", was a six-week combat training programme that had been conducted in Kenya since 2023 in the Laikipia and Lolldaiga regions. Kenya was expecting the arrival of 1,500 British soldiers for training in September 2026. Now that training will have to take place somewhere else.
But this is not just about politics and legal technicalities. For the people of Nanyuki and Laikipia, the cancellation hits hard in the pocket. Local businesses, taxi operators, boda boda riders, and curio sellers have come to rely on the economic boom that comes whenever British soldiers are in town.
One taxi operator, Richard Kabiro, said the slowdown has left him asking difficult questions about his future. About 45 taxis normally operate outside the military base, but that number almost doubles when the troops arrive.
Koech, however, says he is not trying to be a hindrance. He has personally reached out to officials at the British High Commission in Nairobi to explore ways of unlocking the stalemate. He remains optimistic that the issues can be resolved through dialogue.
"This is how relationships are built. It is about agreeing, respecting each other's constitutions, respecting human life and entering into mutual agreements that benefit both countries," he said.
His comments come after Democracy for Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua made allegations that bribery demands led to the cancellation of the training. But Koech has made it clear that this is about principle, not money.
The government has also moved to dismiss claims that the BATUK arrangement has come to an end. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the defence cooperation agreement is still undergoing parliamentary approval.
The partnership remains intact, and both governments are committed to resolving outstanding matters through diplomatic channels.
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