Cancellation of MPs special sitting scuttle UK-Kenya military deal
The cancellation of the parliamentary special sitting which was slated for Wednesday, July 13, will jeopardize the ratification of the Kenya-United Kingdom military cooperation agreement inked in 2021.
The process of ratifying the two countries’ agreement will be put in jeopardy since the National Assembly Defense Committee had planned to table its report during the session.
Kenya and the United Kingdom signed a new Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in London in July 2021, as part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s three-day official visit to the United Kingdom.
The signing of the new agreement came after the expiration of the Sh9 billion Kenya-UK military training agreement, which was last renewed in 2015. The agreement expired in October of last year.
The agreement will serve as a foundation for the two countries’ defense agendas for the next five years.
The multibillion-shilling defense agreement will allow UK troops to continue training at Nanyuki’s British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).
Once recognized by the Kenyan Parliament, the new DCA will allow the two militaries to share expertise, experience, and techniques, increasing the effectiveness of both forces.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 29(1) relating to Special Sitting of the House, I have received and acceded to a request from the Leader of the Majority Party to hold Special Sittings of the National Assembly on 13th July 2022,” Justin Muturi, the Speaker said in a notice to MPs.
Under the existing partnership, the UK provides annual training to over a thousand KDF personnel, either through courses in the UK or through UK military training teams in Kenya.
Nanyuki, where the BATUK is located, provides great conditions for British forces to train in tough environments.
Since 2016, Britain claims that the training camp, which employs 550 Kenyans, has contributed more than Sh5.8 billion to the economies of Laikipia, Samburu, and Isiolo. According to the agreement, the UK will invest Sh1.16 billion every year.
The UK-funded Counter-IED Wing at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Embakasi has also offered additional training.
An earlier attempt to extend the military involvement nearly failed due to suspicions that the UK tried to shield its troops from prosecution in Kenya for any offenses committed while training, but it was renewed in 2015 after Kenya won its appeal to trial errant British soldiers locally.
