An internal British Army investigation has found that some soldiers at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) are still using sex workers, despite a 2022 ban aimed at stopping sexual exploitation and abuse. The Service Inquiry, launched in late 2024 after an ITV investigation alleged troops were paying local women for sex, concluded that the practice continues “at a low to moderate” level.
The two-year probe looked at conduct dating back to July 2022 and found 35 suspected cases of transactional sex involving soldiers at the Nanyuki-based training site, home to thousands of rotating British troops. Most incidents occurred before mandatory training on the ban began in November 2022. Since then, nine cases have been reported, though many allegations could not be proven. Fewer than five new cases are currently under investigation by the Foreign Office.
UK Chief of General Staff Gen. Sir Roly Walker called the findings unacceptable, stressing that sexual exploitation “preys on the vulnerable” and “has no place in the British Army.” The report noted existing prevention measures such as regular training and “sharkwatch” patrols to monitor soldiers off-base, but recommended tougher enforcement, including easier dismissal for violators.
Batuk has long faced controversy, particularly following the 2012 killing of local woman Agnes Wanjiru, allegedly by a British soldier. Kenyan lawmakers are also investigating broader claims of abuse, injuries, and soldiers fathering children with Kenyan women before abandoning them. This year alone, a soldier was sent home over a rape allegation.
Despite the scandals, the inquiry found most local residents supported the camp’s presence — but the persistence of prohibited sexual activity threatens to undermine both military discipline and community relations.
