A confidential police report tabled before Parliament has revealed fresh details of alleged sexual abuse, human rights violations and misconduct linked to British military personnel training in Laikipia County, with investigators documenting dozens of cases and calling for legal action and further investigations.
The report, dated May 19, 2026, was prepared by the National Police Service following a directive from the National Assembly's Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, which ordered an independent investigation into allegations involving personnel attached to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk). It is signed by Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja.
According to the report, investigators documented alleged cases of rape, gang rape and attempted sexual assault in communities bordering the Impala military training area, where British troops conduct military exercises.
One of the cases highlighted involves a 12-year-old girl from Lekiji village in Laikipia North. Investigators say she was allegedly lured with sweets while fishing near a river before being sexually assaulted by foreign soldiers. The report says she later became pregnant and gave birth to a mixed-race child.
“In one account, a 12-year-old girl reported having been lured with sweets by foreign soldiers while fishing near a river before being sexually assaulted. The victim later conceived and gave birth to a mixed-race child,” the report states.
The investigation found that many of the reported incidents allegedly occurred in villages neighbouring the military training area after soldiers crossed into nearby communities. Children were reportedly enticed with biscuits, chocolates and soft drinks before being sexually assaulted.
Police documented 37 alleged gang rape cases, 20 rape cases and two incidents in which victims sustained injuries while trying to escape attempted sexual assaults.
“The alleged perpetrators were dressed in military camouflage. Survivors described a recurring pattern in which they were ambushed in isolated locations, overpowered and sexually assaulted, often by multiple attackers,” the report says.
Investigators interviewed 40 survivors and witnesses aged between 48 and 90 years in Doldol and surrounding areas. Besides allegations of sexual violence, those interviewed also raised concerns about environmental damage and other human rights violations linked to military exercises.
The report says many of the alleged attacks took place in remote areas such as grazing fields, riverbanks and bush paths while victims were fetching water, collecting firewood, swimming or herding livestock.
Police also established that many survivors did not seek treatment in health facilities because of fear, stigma, cultural beliefs and poor access to medical services. Instead, some underwent traditional cleansing rituals or received herbal treatment from relatives.
“It was established that many survivors interviewed were generally able to recount the circumstances surrounding the alleged incidents of sexual violence, including gang rape, which resulted in severe physical injuries, miscarriages and long-term psychological trauma,” the report says.
The report further highlights the long-term challenges faced by children allegedly fathered by foreign soldiers. Investigators traced one mixed-race child in Laikipia after the mother linked the pregnancy to an alleged sexual assault.
Children and adults aged between seven and 46 years who were interviewed reported discrimination, emotional distress, social stigma and a lack of support from their biological fathers.
“It was established that many had never met their biological fathers and had not received any support from them,” the report says, adding that DNA samples collected previously had been forwarded to the United Kingdom for comparative analysis.
Police also found that many survivors continue to suffer post-traumatic stress, shame and social discrimination years after the alleged incidents.
Among the recommendations made in the report is that the government should pursue legal action through Mutual Legal Assistance mechanisms and other international legal frameworks. Investigators also proposed fresh DNA sampling, subject to legal procedures and consent, to establish paternity and identify biological fathers.
The findings build on an earlier inquiry by the National Assembly’s Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, which last year concluded that British soldiers had been implicated in sexual abuse, abuse of power, unethical conduct and human rights violations.
The report comes as the government announced the resumption of joint military training with the United Kingdom. At the same time, Parliament is pushing for changes to the bilateral defence cooperation agreement, including having murder expressly listed among offences that fall under Kenyan jurisdiction and introducing a mandatory corporate social responsibility component for Batuk.
A parliamentary source said the latest announcement was intended to facilitate the deployment of British troops scheduled for September, although negotiations on the proposed amendments to the agreement are still ongoing.
The British Ministry of Defence has previously acknowledged that the presence of its troops in Kenya could present challenges, expressed regret over any proven wrongdoing and pledged to cooperate with investigations.