A British soldier has been arrested in Kenya over allegations of raping a woman near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) in Nanyuki, reigniting scrutiny over the conduct of UK military personnel stationed in the East African country.
The incident reportedly occurred last month following a visit by a group of soldiers to a local bar in Nanyuki, a town located approximately 200 kilometres north of Nairobi. The alleged perpetrator was subsequently arrested and questioned. An investigation is currently underway, led by the UK’s Defence Serious Crime Unit, which handles serious offences involving British service members at home and abroad.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the arrest in a statement, emphasizing that such behaviour has no place in the military. “Unacceptable and criminal behaviour 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 stated.
This case adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding Batuk, a base established in 1964. While the UK military maintains a longstanding agreement with Kenya to train up to six battalions annually at the site, the relationship has been marred by repeated allegations of misconduct.
One of the most serious past cases involves the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old Kenyan woman and mother whose body was found in a septic tank near the base. She had last been seen with British soldiers. Despite investigations and media reports in 2021 naming a suspect, no charges have been filed to date.
In 2023, a Kenyan parliamentary inquiry revealed further allegations, including claims of hit-and-run incidents, abandoned children fathered by soldiers, and general mistreatment of locals. These reports have fuelled public outrage and calls for greater accountability.
The latest arrest is likely to intensify pressure on both the UK and Kenyan governments to strengthen oversight and ensure justice for affected communities, amid concerns that misconduct by foreign military personnel is not being adequately addressed.
