UK, Kenya Deepen Defence Ties in Face of Regional Threats
Britain has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening defence cooperation with Kenya, underlining the importance of their strategic partnership in addressing growing regional security threats in East Africa.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey, on a visit to Nairobi, said the two countries would continue to expand joint efforts in training, counter-insurgency and peacekeeping support, as part of a wider push to secure stability in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
“Kenya is an anchor state in an unstable region, and the UK relies and looks to Kenya for regional security,” Healey said after holding talks with Kenyan Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya. “We share the same concerns over growing threats in the region.”
Britain currently trains more than 1,100 Kenya Defence Forces personnel annually and supports Kenya’s deployment of peacekeeping troops across the continent.
Healey also met British forces based in Nairobi under the UK’s Peace Support Team (Africa), who help prepare Kenyan and regional soldiers for African Union and United Nations operations.
The two defence chiefs discussed enhancing joint training programmes and intelligence-sharing mechanisms to counter terrorism, violent extremism and cross-border crime – challenges that continue to destabilise parts of the region, including Somalia and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The visit comes amid a review of the UK’s global defence strategy, where Africa’s role as a security partner is being re-evaluated.
London views Nairobi as a key ally in shaping regional responses to insecurity, especially in the Horn of Africa where insurgent groups remain active.
In a gesture that underlined the delicate balance between strategic interests and historical grievances,
Healey also met the family of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by a British soldier in 2012. The meeting, held at the British High Commissioner’s Residence in Nairobi, marked the first time a UK Government Minister has met the Wanjiru family.
Healey expressed his condolences and welcomed the confirmation that the case file had been submitted to Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions for a charging decision.
He said the UK would continue to support the investigation.
“This is a really significant step in resolving this case,” Healey said. “We will continue to work closely with the Kenyan authorities to push for progress and secure the justice the family deserves.”
The meeting followed the 13th anniversary of Wanjiru’s death and came as campaigners renewed calls for accountability in the high-profile case.
ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org