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A British Army investigation has revealed that some soldiers stationed at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) continue to engage with sex workers, despite an official ban.
The report stated that the use of sex workers by soldiers at Batuk was “at a low or moderate” level, but emphasized that further efforts are needed to eliminate the practice entirely.
The inquiry spanned over two years, reviewing conduct at the base from July 2022 onwards.
It was initiated in October 2024 following an ITV investigation into the behavior of soldiers at Batuk, which included allegations of army personnel paying local women for sexual services.
The ITV documentary followed prior concerns regarding Batuk, particularly the 2012 death of Agnes Wanjiru, a local woman allegedly killed by a British soldier stationed at the base.
Since then, a series of allegations have surfaced concerning the conduct of troops at the training site, located near Nanyuki, approximately 200km (125 miles) north of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
In 2022, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) prohibited its forces from using sex workers abroad as part of a broader initiative to combat sexual exploitation and abuse within the military.
UK Chief of Defence Staff Gen Sir Roly Walker affirmed the army’s commitment to eradicating sexual exploitation by its personnel.
“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 stated.
“There is absolutely no place for sexual exploitation and abuse by people in the British Army. It is at complete odds with what it means to be a British soldier. It preys on the vulnerable and benefits those who seek to profit from abuse and exploitation,” he added.
The service inquiry investigation was conducted by a panel of four individuals, comprising two serving officers, a civil servant, and an independent advisor.
The investigation focused on the behavior of troops stationed at Batuk and assessed the army’s systems designed to prevent violations of its regulation JSP 769, which prohibits soldiers from paying for sex.
The report details 35 instances where Batuk soldiers were suspected of paying for sex since guidance on the rule was disseminated in July 2022. During this timeframe, 7,666 British soldiers were stationed at the base.
It notes that 26 of these cases occurred before training on the new regulation was initiated for all army personnel in November of that year, with nine cases reported subsequently. In the majority of cases, the allegations of soldiers paying for sex were not substantiated.
In addition to the cases detailed in the report, the Foreign Office informed the BBC of a small number – less than five – of alleged incidents involving the use of sex workers that are currently under investigation. These incidents reportedly occurred after the inquiry’s conclusion.
The report acknowledged the training provided by the Army and the control measures in place, but conceded that “transactional sexual activity” by UK personnel in Kenya was still occurring, estimating the “level is somewhere between low and moderate”.
“It is not out of control, but the best way for the Army to manage the risk is for the Army to assume it may be at the upper end of that scale between low and moderate,” the report added.
The report highlighted the Army’s efforts to combat the practice, including regular training and the implementation of “sharkwatch” patrols, where a senior officer of Sergeant rank or above monitors the conduct of junior personnel when they leave the base for social outings.
The army has stated it will implement the report’s recommendations, which include streamlining the process for dismissing soldiers found to have engaged with sex workers and implementing additional training programs.
This report follows years of controversy surrounding the conduct of soldiers at Batuk, ignited by a 2021 Sunday Times investigation that revealed the alleged involvement of a British soldier in the murder of Ms. Wanjiru. Ms. Wanjiru was a mother of one whose body was discovered in a septic tank near a hotel where she was last seen with soldiers on the night of her disappearance.
Separately in Kenya, Members of Parliament have been conducting an inquiry into broader allegations of mistreatment of local people by soldiers at Batuk. They have heard claims at public hearings of injuries allegedly sustained due to the behavior of British troops, as well as allegations of soldiers fathering children with Kenyan mothers and subsequently abandoning them upon returning home.
In June of this year, a soldier stationed at the base was repatriated to the UK after being accused of rape.
The Service Inquiry behind the latest report stated it had spoken with numerous local Kenyans and found “the vast majority” of local residents were satisfied with the presence of the Batuk camp.
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