The UK has hit back at Members of Parliament following the release of a damning parliamentary report which alleged decades-long abuse, killings and rights violations linked to the British Army Training Unit, Kenya (BATUK).
In a statement on Wednesday, December 3, the British High Commission in Nairobi accused the legislators of not taking into account their responses to the inquiry before releasing their report. The commission said it had fully cooperated with the parliamentary inquiry by providing a detailed submission addressing all concerns raised by the lawmakers.
While acknowledging historical challenges associated with the UK's military presence in Kenya, it was critical of the report for allegedly omitting the commission's response.
"In the spirit of cooperation with the inquiry, the UK submitted a statement responding substantively to the issues highlighted and outlined the actions taken to address the concerns raised," a statement from the commission read.
"While we deeply regret the challenges which have arisen in relation to our defence presence in Kenya, we are disappointed our submission to the Committee was not incorporated into the report's conclusions."
British officials further stated they had responded to the issues highlighted and had outlined actions already taken to address longstanding grievances involving Kenyan communities, particularly in Laikipia and Samburu.
According to the UK, some of the allegations listed in the report were new, adding that it was fully prepared to investigate any claim once evidence was provided.
Last week, the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations released a 94-page report accusing BATUK of persistent ethical breaches and rights violations.
The parliamentary panel relied on oral and written submissions from civilians, victims, community leaders, public agencies and civil societies.
Several testimonies accused British soldiers of killings, assaults, maimings and traffic incidents which led to fatalities.
Among the most disturbing revelations in the report was the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, whose body was found in a hotel septic tank in Nanyuki.
A former British soldier suspected of being involved in the killing was arrested in the UK last month, but he denied the charges and is contesting extradition proceedings. He faces possible extradition to Kenya.
BATUK has been a cornerstone of UK-Kenya defence cooperation, with more than 1,000 Kenyan soldiers receiving British training annually.
