A Parliamentary committee formed to investigate the atrocities of the British army continues to reveal shocking information regarding what Kenyans went through at the hands of the troops.
Victims from Samburu County revealed to the committee that they’ve been left with deep scars from sexual abuse.
Many women from the county are raising children they got from sexual abuse. The women reveal that they have to deal with trauma and neglect as a result of the abuse. The residents want the government to conduct speedy investigations of the allegations and ensure the victims get justice.
One of the victims is Jenerica Namoru, who is currently raising a five-year-old white child she bored with a British army soldier. Jenerica alleges that the BATUK soldier sexually assaulted her leading to her pregnancy.
The soldier disappeared after the training, and any attempts by Jenerica and her father to get help from the British Army Training Unit have been futile.
Jenerica is one of the many cases of the atrocities that the BATUK soldiers committed while undergoing training in Kenya. The parliamentary committee investigating these atrocities assured victims that they would investigate till the end and ensure mothers and their children get justice.
The parliamentary committee was formed to investigate the conduct of the BATUK since its inception. The committee is tasked with investigating the soldiers’ alleged ethical breaches, including corruption, discrimination, fraud, and abuse of power among others.
The committee will also investigate allegations of human rights violations including, killing, torture, mistreatment, and unlawful detention.
They’re also tasked with assessing BATUK’s operational integrity, including their safety standards, adherence to military standards, and compliance with the law.
The investigation began after a petition by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHCR) calling on the National Assembly to ensure accountability on the part of the British army in cases of human rights violations.
KNHCR noted that the soldiers committed numerous crimes including murder, assault, rape, and maiming.
The parliamentary committee hearing on British Army atrocities
Among the atrocities and human rights violations being investigated include the murder of Agnes Wanjiru, allegedly committed in 2012 by a BATUK soldier.
The case came to the limelight in 2021 and was taken over by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). This case and many others have fueled perceptions among Kenyans of impunity and unaccountability within the BATUK.
Since the probe began in Laikipia and Samburu counties, the committee has received over ten petitions implicating the British army. Victims of the atrocities can only hope that the committee will help them get justice.
