The Kenyan government has confirmed that joint military training between the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the British Army will continue at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki, bringing to an end days of uncertainty over the fate of the annual exercise.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the latest development reflects the strong ties that Kenya and the United Kingdom have built over the years through cooperation and mutual understanding.
He noted that the two countries had addressed the issues through dialogue while preserving their strategic defence partnership.
“The Kenya-United Kingdom defence partnership continues to advance Kenya’s national interests. It strengthens the capabilities of the Kenya Defence Forces, contributes to regional peace and security, supports Kenyan jobs and businesses, and provides significant economic benefits to the communities that host these activities,” he stated.
Mudavadi added that Kenya remains committed to strengthening defence cooperation with the UK as both countries continue working together to promote peace, security and stability within the region.
The announcement follows recent uncertainty after the United Kingdom indicated that the 2026 edition of Exercise Haraka Storm, a six-week military exercise involving British and Kenyan troops, would be moved outside Kenya because the required licences had not been secured in time.
The decision triggered public debate, with claims emerging that political interference and bribery demands had influenced the delay.
However, National Assembly Defence, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committee Chairperson Nelson Koech rejected the allegations, explaining that the matter centred on legal and regulatory concerns relating to the operations of British troops in Kenya.
Koech said Parliament’s committee had carried out a two-year review of BATUK’s activities before presenting its findings to the National Assembly in November 2025.
The report proposed stronger safeguards, including allowing Kenyan courts to handle serious offences involving visiting soldiers, greater cooperation with local investigations and parliamentary inquiries, improved environmental responsibility, fulfilment of welfare and child-support obligations, and stronger protection for communities hosting the military exercises.
The committee also cited unresolved concerns surrounding the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, which has been linked to British soldiers attached to BATUK, alongside complaints raised over the years by residents of Nanyuki and Laikipia regarding the unit’s operations.
While reaffirming support for the long-standing military partnership, Koech stressed that future cooperation must continue to respect Kenya’s sovereignty and legal framework.
“But partnership must rest on equality, on respect for Kenyan law, and on genuine accountability. That is the standard the Committee has upheld, transparently, and on the record, and it is the standard we will continue to uphold: for the people of Nanyuki and Laikipia, for the family of the late Agnes Wanjiru, and for the sovereignty of the Republic of Kenya,” Koech stated in a statement on July 26, 2026.
The confirmation that the joint training will proceed marks a significant step in preserving the long-standing defence relationship between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
