By Peter Halima
Nanyuki, Kenya – A British soldier has been arrested in Kenya following an allegation of rape that occurred near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) base in Nanyuki, approximately 200km north of Nairobi. The alleged incident took place last month after a group of soldiers reportedly visited a local bar in the town.
The soldier was arrested and questioned in connection with the alleged crime. The investigation is being conducted by the UK military police from the Défense Serious Crime Unit, which is responsible for investigating serious crimes allegedly committed by British service personnel both in the UK and overseas.
The UK Ministry of Défense (MoD) confirmed the arrest in a statement, stating that a “service person” had been arrested in Kenya. “Unacceptable and criminal behavior has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces and any reporting of a serious crime by serving personnel is investigated independently from their chain of command,” the MoD added.
This latest incident involving a soldier stationed at the British base in Kenya follows previous controversies, most notably the unsolved murder of Agnes Wanjiru in 2012. Wanjiru, a 21-year-old mother of one, was found dead in a septic tank near the BATUK base three weeks after she disappeared. Reports at the time suggested she had spent the evening with British soldiers prior to her disappearance. In 2021, The Sunday Times reported that a British soldier was believed to have been responsible for her murder. The MoD has stated it is cooperating with a Kenyan investigation into the Wanjiru case.
The BATUK base was established in 1964, shortly after Kenya gained independence from the UK. Under an agreement with Kenya, the UK military can deploy up to six army battalions a year to the site for training.
However, the British army has faced a series of allegations regarding the conduct of UK personnel stationed at the camp. A public inquiry launched by Kenyan MPs last year heard testimonies detailing alleged mistreatment of local people by British soldiers. These allegations included a reported hit-and-run incident, as well as claims that some British soldiers had impregnated local women and then abandoned them and their children upon returning to the UK.
The current rape allegation and the unresolved case of Agnes Wanjiru continue to raise concerns about the behavior and accountability of British soldiers stationed in Kenya and are likely to further strain relations between local communities and the British military presence. The outcome of the ongoing investigation is highly anticipated.
