Africa-Press. Britain has announced the cancellation of a major military training exercise scheduled to take place in Kenya this year, relocating it to an alternative site outside the country due to the lack of necessary permits for its execution in Laikipia County.
A local source reported that the British Ministry of Defence stated that the training, named “Haraka Storm,” which was planned between September and November 2026, will not be conducted within Kenya, expressing regret over not obtaining the required permits in a timely manner.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the decision pertains specifically to this training and does not imply the closure of the British Army training unit in Kenya, known as “Batuk,” or the end of British military presence in the country. It emphasized the continuation of the defense partnership and communication with the Kenyan government to resume training in the future.
The cancellation comes amid stalled negotiations to renew the defense cooperation agreement between the two countries, with demands within the Kenyan parliament to amend clauses related to jurisdiction and accountability for British soldiers accused of committing crimes on Kenyan soil.
London is seeking to renew the existing agreement, while Kenyan lawmakers are calling for local authorities to have broader powers to investigate and prosecute British soldiers for serious crimes, rather than maintaining primary jurisdiction with Britain.
Negotiations also include the financial compensation that London pays for hosting training facilities.
In this context, the head of the Defense, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee in the Kenyan National Assembly, Nelson Koech, stated that the governments of both countries are in consultations to address the outstanding issues, without specifying a timeline for reaching an agreement.
Pressure on the British military presence has increased following a Kenyan parliamentary investigation that accused soldiers from the “Batuk” unit of committing abuses, including sexual assaults, environmental damage, and mistreatment of workers and residents near training sites.
The investigation, released in December 2025, concluded that there was what it described as a “disturbing pattern” of behavior and violations, amid complaints regarding pollution, hazardous waste disposal, and injuries and fatalities related to unexploded ordnance. The British Ministry of Defence stated at the time that it was prepared to investigate any new evidence provided by Kenyan authorities.
Kenya hosts a permanent base for the British Army training unit near Nanyuki, approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, and annually receives thousands of British soldiers participating in training.
