Laikipia Woman Representative Cate Waruguru on Wednesday, November 10, cautioned those calling for the dissolution of the ratification agreement between the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and the Kenyan Government.
In a statement, Waruguru argued that the BATUK were a key source of employment with a workforce of over 3,000 personnel from Nanyuki.
Waruguru further called out Members of Parliament (MPs) who were threatening to reject the Kenya-British military agreement if suspects in the death of a Kenyan mother, Agnes Wanjiru, were not surrendered and prosecuted under the Kenyan law.
"Its my firm belief that inter government talks must take centre stage to find amicable and lasting solutions.The BATUK have since issued a statement which has been seconded by the UK Commissioner to Kenya and the matter is under investigation...
"I will rally my colleagues in parliament into passing the ratification agreement...I cannot comprehend why one would push for their ouster," Waruguru stated.
The legislator further called for speedy conclusions into the investigations and appropriate compensation to Wanjiru's family.
She termed Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi's refusal to engage the BATUK as hypocritical.
"The Governor should instead focus on delivering on his mandate for the remaining 9 months and stop politicizing the BATUK issue.
"Let him focus on reinstating doctors in our health centers and let the relevant government agencies pronounce themselves on this matter," she added.
The defense cooperation agreement between Kenya and the United Kingdom was signed in June by President Uhuru Kenyatta and UK's Prime Minster, Boris Johnson.
Rejecting the agreement would mean military forces from the UK would have to leave their Nanyuki base.
Wanjiru was murdered on March 31, 2012, and her body found in a septic tank in a hotel in Nanyuki.
A British soldier has since been implicated in the murder, with the UK government agreeing to cooperate with Kenyan authorities to conclude Wanjiru's murder case.
