MoD cancels army training in Kenya over powers to prosecute British soldiers
The UK Ministry of Defence cancelled a planned army training exercise in Kenya after the Kenyan government declined to ratify a bilateral defence agreement, citing concerns over jurisdiction and funding. The September exercise involving the 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment was called off, and the training will be relocated to an alternative site outside Kenya. Both governments say they remain committed to their defence partnership despite ongoing disputes and past allegations of misconduct.
- ▪Kenyan lawmakers refused to ratify the defence agreement, seeking greater jurisdiction over offences committed by British soldiers and more funding for the training camp.
- ▪The planned September exercise with the 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment was cancelled, and licences for training in Laikipia were not granted.
- ▪Kenya retains primary jurisdiction in the murder case of Agnes Wanjiru, with an extradition hearing scheduled for November.
- ▪The UK MoD announced that training will be moved to an alternative location outside Kenya while continuing diplomatic engagement to resume in‑country training.
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Soldiers of the British army training unit in Kenya (BATUK) with troops from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on a training exercise on the Laikipia plateau. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/GettyView image in fullscreenSoldiers of the British army training unit in Kenya (BATUK) with troops from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on a training exercise on the Laikipia plateau. Photograph: Tony Karumba/AFP/GettyBritish armyMoD cancels army training in Kenya over powers to prosecute British soldiersSeptember exercise called off after Kenya raises concerns over funding and jurisdiction for criminal offencesHannah Al-Othman North of England correspondentThu 23 Jul 2026 10.06 EDTFirst published on Thu 23 Jul 2026 09.11 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe British army has been forced to cancel…
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