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Activists petition Kenyan Parliament over unratified Kenya-UK defense agreement, demand jurisdiction over British soldiers

Activists and families of victims have submitted a petition to the Kenyan Parliament, state agencies, the British Army Training Unit Kenya BATUK, and the UK Ministry of Defence, demanding that Kenyan courts be granted jurisdiction over British soldiers. This action follows a public meeting on June 20 and addresses the unratified Kenya-UK defense agreement, which has been in limbo since 2021 due to disputes over jurisdiction rights. Petitioners are calling for independent investigations into past cases, including the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru, compensation for victims, formal recognition and child support for children abandoned by British soldiers in Laikipia, an environmental audit of training grounds, and the publication of the agreement before its conclusion. Lawyers and activists argue that the current legal framework is a "colonial relic" that prioritizes diplomatic relations over the lives of Kenyan citizens. The National Assembly's defense committee has previously recommended amendments to give Kenyan courts wider jurisdiction over foreign troops, and its chairman, Nelson Koech, has publicly called for an end to the immunity British soldiers enjoy.