British Soldiers 'Kidnap' Kenyan Boy from Hospital

British soldiers have been accused by two politicians from Samburu East of kidnapping a 10-year-old herd-boy who had been admitted in hospital.

The boy, Ekisonga Nyasasai, was taken to a hospital in Nanyuki town after stepping on an abandoned British explosive that left him badly injured.

According to the locals, Ekisonga was later abducted by British soldiers so as to cover up what had happened. They claimed that the soldiers always left unexploded mines in the area after their military training hence exposing them to danger.

Samburu East MP Raphael Letimalo said that he would table the motion before Parliament stating that Britain had abused their hospitality.

“After training they leave behind live ordnance. There are so many cases reported to the police of people and their animals being killed in British army bomb explosions.”

Letimalo added that he had been in touch with Ekisonga's parents, who were in despair as they were not aware of the whereabouts of their son.

“On Saturday, British army arrived with their helicopter at the hospital and took him away without the consent of the parents. They told the hospital management that they were taking him out for proper treatment. The soldiers did not provide to the hospital management where they were taking the boy and that is why we are saying it’s an act of abduction meant to conceal their atrocities against Samburu East people,” Letimalo was quoted by The Telegraph.

The Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence, however, dismissed the claims citing that they were aware of the incident but they just administered first aid to the boy, before airlifting him to a hospital in Nanyuki to receive special treatment.

“We are aware of an incident in Samburu which involved an injury to a young boy, and troops from the British Army Training Unit Kenya administered life-saving first aid to the child. The unit is fully supporting investigations into what happened. Land used by the British Army in Kenya is routinely cleared on completion of training to make it safe, and all exercises are carried out with the agreement of the Kenyan authorities.” the Defence Spokeman told The Telegraph.

In a press statement released on Tuesday the British High Commission refuted the claims stating that 'Contrary to media reports, the child was not abducted by British troops. With the agreement of the Head Doctor at Wamba and the child's father, he was airlifted by BATUK to Nanyuki Cottage Hospital (NCH) for further specialist surgery.'

The incident comes a few weeks after Kenya renewed its 40-year-old agreement that would see British soldiers resume training in the country.

Read Also: Kenya and Britain Mark New Friendship Ties

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