MPs Push for Stronger Kenya-UK Defence, Trade Ties

By Issa Hussein - Reporter

Kenya, 30 May 2026 - Kenyan lawmakers have called for deeper defence, trade and diplomatic cooperation with the United Kingdom during talks with a visiting British parliamentary delegation at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.

The National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations said stronger collaboration between the two countries would enhance regional security, trade and development partnerships.

The meeting was chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech and attended by a cross-party UK delegation led by Fleur Anderson, a member of the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee and Labour MP for Putney.

Mr Koech described Kenya as a key British ally in East Africa and the Horn of Africa, citing its strategic location and role in regional peace and security.

“Kenya remains one of the United Kingdom’s most important strategic partners in Africa, particularly within the East African region and the Horn of Africa owing to its strategic geographical location, role in regional peace and security, and position as a gateway to regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” he said.

The legislators also raised the long-running case of Agnes Wanjiku Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman who was allegedly murdered in 2012 in a case linked to British soldiers attached to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).

Mr Koech told the delegation that Parliament's Defence Committee will meet key government agencies and representatives of the British High Commission on June 10 to discuss findings of the National Assembly's inquiry into BATUK's conduct.

“We hope to come to a conclusive agreement on this matter,” he said.

On trade, Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana urged the UK to support Kenya's efforts to expand exports of value-added products, arguing that this would help grow economic ties between the two countries.

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“You are a very key and strategic partner with our country, and as we seek to enhance the trading relationships, we would want your support on our bid to ensure that we export value-added products to the UK and the region at large,” Mr Ikana said.

In response, Ms Anderson welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed Britain's commitment to increasing trade with Kenya.

“The aim is for £3 billion in trade by 2030 and we seem to be on track for that. All that we can do to keep that cooperation going and make sure that businesses across both of our countries strengthen will be fully supported,”she said.

The discussions also covered regional security, support for refugee-hosting communities, the impact of global fuel price shocks on economies and security, and international efforts to combat disinformation.

The British delegation also held separate talks with the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.

Kenya and the United Kingdom maintain close diplomatic, economic and security relations. Britain remains one of Kenya's largest trading partners and investors, while BATUK has maintained a military training presence in Kenya for decades. However, its operations have periodically attracted scrutiny over environmental concerns and unresolved legal cases involving local residents.