Online Reporter
NAIROBI. — An investigation by the British Army has found that some soldiers stationed at its training base in Kenya continue to use sex workers despite a 2022 ban.
The report said the practice occurs at a “low or moderate” level and called for more action to stamp it out. The inquiry examined conduct at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) dating back to July 2022, over a period of more than two years.
The investigation was commissioned in October 2024 after an ITV report alleged some soldiers at Batuk were paying local women for sex. The base has faced ongoing scrutiny since 2012, when a local woman, Agnes Wanjiru, was allegedly killed by a British soldier
Gen. Sir Roly Walker, the UK chief of general staff, said the army is committed to stopping sexual exploitation. “The findings of the Service Inquiry I commissioned conclude that transactional sex is still happening in Kenya at a low to moderate level. It should not be happening at all,” he said.
Walker added: “There is absolutely no place for sexual exploitation and abuse by people in the British Army. It preys on the vulnerable and benefits those who seek to profit from abuse and exploitation.”
The inquiry, conducted by a four-member panel including two serving officers, a civil servant, and an independent adviser, assessed both troop behaviour and the army’s systems for enforcing regulations banning the purchase of sex.
The report detailed 35 suspected incidents since July 2022, when guidance on the rule was published. Most occurred before mandatory training in November 2022. The allegations have rarely been proven. The Foreign Office said fewer than five additional cases are currently under investigation.
The report said measures such as “sharkwatch” patrols and regular training have not fully stopped transactional sexual activity. It recommended making it easier to dismiss soldiers found in breach and implementing additional training.
Batuk has long been controversial, including a 2021 Sunday Times investigation linking a soldier to Wanjiru’s death. Kenyan lawmakers have also raised concerns about abuse and claims of soldiers fathering children and abandoning them. In June, a soldier was sent home from Batuk after being accused of rape.
The inquiry found that “the vast majority” of local residents were satisfied with the base’s presence. — africanews
