Kenyan MPs Vote to Amend Defence Deal With UK

Kenyan Members of Parliament have voted to amend their Defence deal with UK.

Report says going forward, UK soldiers could be tried for murder, amongst other grave offences, committed against Kenyans in Kenya.

Kenyan MPs voted to amend a defence agreement with the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The amended deal will now go to the Kenyan Ministry of Defence for further negotiation with their British counterparts.

Meanwhile, the murder of a 21-year-woman prompted the move.

Agnes Wanjiru went missing after she was seen walking out of a bar with British soldiers in 2012.

Her body was later found in Kenya, in a septic tank at a hotel nearly three months later. To this day no one has been brought to justice for her killing.

The amendment that was voted through does not apply retrospectively and therefore will not impact how the Wanjiru case is handled.

The UK Defence Ministry has insisted it’s been cooperating with Kenyan authorities over the investigation after allegations of a cover-up.

Report says the defence agreement was initially proposed in 2021 under former President Kenyatta, but its parliamentary ratification was delayed due to presidential polls and local objections over the agreement.

AFRICANEWS/Christopher Ojilere