House team wants BATUK deal halted over rights abuses

Belgut MP Nelson Koech said a new agreement will not be allowed, even as they lashed out at BATUK officers for failing to appear before them to shed light on the flagged abuses. [File, Standard] Parliament has called for termination of the contract between Kenya and British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) soldiers over human rights abuses. This comes against the backdrop of heightened concerns of human rights abuses reportedly inflicted on Kenyans by the British soldiers during their operations. The National Assembly committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relation Committee chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech said a new agreement will not be allowed, even as they lashed out at BATUK officers for failing to appear before them to shed light on the flagged abuses. The committee made the remarks Tuesday when Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya appeared before them. During the meeting, the MPs accused BATUK of being hostile, adding that they will compile a report without their input. "It will be difficult for this committee to consider any defence cooperation touching on environment and human rights. We have done so much work on this matter this year, yet Batuk officers have refused to come and we should declare them as hostile witnesses. It is unfortunate that families lost loved ones, children were born out of illicit relationships and are now suffering," said Koech. The committee also accused Britain of shielding its officers despite being aware of numerous accusations from Kenyans on the suffering they have undergone in the course of their operations. "It is unfortunate that BATUK officers have failed to honour invitation despite the MPs passing the defence agreement, which was subsequently tabled in the House a few months ago, with reservations," Koech uttered. Kajiado Central MP Memusi Kanchory accused BATUK of contempt because they have disregarded the committee, while the officers have been accused of committing atrocities to Kenyans. "BATUK has clearly shown contempt, it would have been good to hear their side of the story, but because they have not, we will proceed to write our own report and if it affects them that will not be our problem," Kanchory said. Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan added: "I find it incredible and unbelievable that a friendly entity operating in our territory/soil here courtesy of us passing an agreement, their officers who have committed atrocities have refused to come here. We need to make a strong statement on this to the point of even seeking to dissolve the agreement with the British government. The decision the officers have taken is untenable." "We need to send a strong message to BATUK. We need to know from the Treasury Cabinet Secretary what Kenya would lose if we had diplomatic issues with the British government. Kenya is a sovereign state and must be respected," he added. The MPs said Kenya is a sovereign state, and insisted on strict measures against the affected officers. But the CS urged the committee to give BATUK time before they can consider issuing sanctions against them. Tuya, who explained that she is not in a position to speak on their behalf, said whenever Kenya wants to engage another country, it should be made through the intergovernmental liaison committee. She also said the decision by the committee to directly engage BATUK was not within their mandate, explaining that it has escalated to a diplomatic issue. "We told tell the Ministry of Foreign affairs that we were to appear today with Batuk but they never responded, that is why we are saying this is beyond us and we cannot speak for them," she explained.

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