A British soldier has been accused of raping a woman near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), located outside the town of Nanyuki, about 200km north of Nairobi.
The alleged assault took place last month following a night out at a local bar involving a group of soldiers.
The accused was arrested and questioned in connection with the incident.
The UK’s Defence Serious Crime Unit, which handles criminal investigations involving British military personnel both at home and abroad, has launched a formal investigation.
In a statement, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the arrest, stating: “Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces. Any report of serious crime involving service personnel is investigated independently of the chain of command.”
This latest case adds to a growing list of serious allegations linked to the British military presence in Kenya.
In 2012, 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, a local woman and mother of one, was found dead in a septic tank near the same base, weeks after she was last seen with British soldiers.
A 2021 investigation by The Sunday Times alleged that a British soldier was responsible for her murder, prompting renewed calls for justice.
The MoD has stated it is cooperating with ongoing Kenyan investigations into Wanjiru’s death.
Established in 1964 after Kenya’s independence, the BATUK base operates under a bilateral agreement allowing the UK to deploy up to six army battalions annually for training.
However, the base has been the subject of repeated controversy over the behaviour of some British troops.
A parliamentary inquiry launched by Kenyan lawmakers in 2023 heard testimonies about alleged abuses by British soldiers, including hit-and-run incidents, abandonment of local women and children fathered by UK troops, and other misconduct.
The ongoing scrutiny has intensified public and political pressure on both the UK and Kenyan authorities to ensure accountability and justice for affected local communities.
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