NAIROBI, Kenya- The United Kingdom has announced that it will relocate a planned military training exercise from Kenya after the required licences for the drills in Laikipia were not issued by the Kenyan government.
In a statement on Thursday, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) said the exercise, which had been scheduled to take place later this year, will now be conducted at an alternative location outside Kenya.
The development marks a temporary setback for the long-standing UK-Kenya defence partnership, which has seen British troops regularly train alongside the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) under a bilateral cooperation framework.
“The UK highly values its relationship with Kenya, which is underpinned by mutual benefit, respect and cooperation. The UK-Kenya Defence Partnership is one of the great strengths of our relationship. Our joint training and operations with the Kenyan Defence Forces are keeping both Kenyan and British people safe,” a UK MOD spokesperson said.
The ministry said it regretted that the licences required to facilitate the planned exercise in Laikipia had not been granted.
“It is with regret that the necessary licences required to allow training to take place in Laikipia later this year have not been forthcoming. As a result, the planned training will now be conducted at an alternative location outside Kenya,” the spokesperson said.
The UK acknowledged that the decision would have economic implications for communities that usually benefit from military training activities, particularly businesses in Laikipia and surrounding areas that provide accommodation, transport, supplies and other services during the exercises.
“We recognise the disappointment this decision will cause for those who would have benefited from the economic activity generated by the exercise. All UK training activity in Kenya is dependent on the permission from the Government of Kenya,” the spokesperson added.
Despite the change in venue, London reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong defence ties with Nairobi and expressed hope that military training in Kenya would resume once the necessary approvals are secured.
“We remain committed to our defence partnership with Kenya and will continue to engage closely with the Kenyan Government to support the resumption of training in-country at the earliest appropriate opportunity,” the spokesperson said.
The UK and Kenya have maintained decades of defence cooperation, with British troops frequently conducting joint exercises with the KDF, particularly in Laikipia County under the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).
The exercises have also provided significant economic benefits to local communities through employment opportunities and increased business activity.
It was not immediately clear why the licences had not been issued or whether discussions between the two governments were ongoing to resolve the matter.