Kenya is set to grant diplomatic-style privileges and immunities to French soldiers under a new defence cooperation agreement, with the National Assembly now inviting Kenyans to submit their views before the pact is ratified.
In a public notice issued on Wednesday December 17, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, stated that the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and France has been tabled in Parliament and is committed to the Departmental Committee on Defence for review.
The agreement was formally tabled in the House on November 27, 2025, triggering the constitutional requirement for public participation under Articles 118(1)(b) and 2(5) and (6) of the Constitution, as well as Section 8 of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act.
According to the notice, the agreement will establish a legal framework governing the presence and activities of visiting forces from Kenya and France, with the intention of enhancing bilateral cooperation on defence and security matters.
One of the key provisions of the deal obligates Kenya to accord visiting foreign forces certain privileges, immunities and logistical assistance while they are operating within the country under agreed defence cooperation activities.
“It is notified that the Defence Cooperation Agreement outlines the legal framework governing the presence and activities of visiting forces from either country and seeks to enhance bilateral cooperation on defence and security for the mutual benefit of the Republic of Kenya and the French Republic,” the notice read in part.
In addition, Kenya and France are expected to deepen cooperation in areas such as military training, capacity building, information exchange and joint exercises as part of the broader security partnership.
“Under the Agreement, Kenya and the French Republic will, among others, be obliged to: (a) accord visiting forces certain privileges, immunities, and logistical assistance; and (b) ensure that defence cooperation activities are implemented in compliance with their respective laws, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," the statement read.
Members of the public and stakeholders have been invited to submit memoranda on the agreement to the Clerk of the National Assembly by December 31, 2025, as Parliament moves closer to determining whether Kenya will formally adopt the defence pact.
The deal was initially signed in October this year at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Nairobi, where Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya and French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet formalised it.
The agreement also lays out a formal framework to deepen Kenya and France cooperation in intelligence sharing, maritime security, peacekeeping missions, training programmes and humanitarian support.
“This agreement marks a significant milestone in the strengthening of bilateral relations between Kenya and France, further cementing a long-standing partnership rooted in shared commitments to peace, stability, and security,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement following the deal.
