By Judy Maina (judy.maina@alleastafrica.com)
NAIROBI, Kenya — A British soldier stationed at the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) has been arrested on allegations of rape, prompting renewed public scrutiny of British military conduct in the East African country, where similar accusations have previously drawn diplomatic friction.
According to the Associated Press, the soldier was arrested in connection with a rape incident reported last month in Nanyuki, a central Kenyan town that hosts a large contingent of British troops on routine training exercises.
The UK’s Defence Serious Crime Command is currently leading the investigation, as AP reported
In a statement issued on Saturday, a spokesperson for the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: “We can confirm the arrest of a service person in Kenya. As the matter is subject to an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further.”
The arrest has reignited anger over a decade-old unresolved case involving Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman who was found murdered near the same military base in 2012.
According to a Kenyan inquest, Wanjiru was “murdered by one or two British soldiers.” Her body was discovered in a septic tank at a Nanyuki hotel, days after she was last seen leaving a bar with a British serviceman.
The Guardian reported in April that UK Defence Secretary John Healey met with Wanjiru’s family and vowed to cooperate with Kenyan authorities.
Earlier this year, Wanjiru’s relatives filed a lawsuit against the British government, demanding disclosure of information regarding the soldiers involved in the 2012 incident.
The family accused the UK of a “cover-up” and argued that justice had been denied for over a decade, The Times reported
The MoD has stated that all service personnel undergo mandatory conduct briefings before overseas deployments. “We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct. Every allegation is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated,” the spokesperson added.
The incident has again drawn attention to the UK’s military presence in Kenya, where roughly 200 British soldiers are permanently based under a defence cooperation agreement.
While the British Army provides training, disaster relief, and logistical support, it has also been at the center of repeated controversies involving alleged environmental damage, sexual abuse, and unexploded ordnance.
Human rights advocates have called for greater transparency and accountability. “We cannot keep burying these crimes under diplomatic immunity,” said Wambui Kimathi, a legal activist in Nairobi.
“Kenyan victims deserve justice, not silence.”
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