UK actions reignite reparations row as Mau Mau veterans demand accountability

Recent decisions by British officials have sparked renewed outrage in Kenya, with the Mau Mau War Veterans Association accusing the United Kingdom of maintaining a pattern of avoiding full accountability for historical and ongoing injustices.

The latest tensions follow a March 25, 2026 vote at the United Nations General Assembly, where a resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity was adopted with 123 votes in favour and three against. The United Kingdom abstained, while the United States, Israel and Argentina voted against the motion.

Days later, the UK political party Reform UK announced a proposal to deny visas to countries, including Kenya, that are pursuing slavery reparations.

The proposal drew criticism from Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caribbean Community reparations commission, who described it as punitive and reflective of a legacy of racism.

For Mau Mau veterans, the developments mirror Britain’s response to colonial-era abuses during the 1950s uprising, when thousands of Kenyans were detained, tortured and killed.

In 2013, the UK government paid £19.9 million in compensation to 5,228 survivors and expressed regret, but did not accept legal liability or commit to broader reparations.

The association says similar concerns persist in Nanyuki, where the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) operates.

A Parliamentary inquiry concluded in November 2025 documented allegations including sexual abuse, deaths linked to unexploded ordnance, environmental damage and cases of children fathered by British soldiers and left without support.

The case of Agnes Wanjiru remains central to the concerns. The 21-year-old was last seen with British soldiers in Nanyuki in 2012 before her body was later found in a septic tank.

In November 2025, former British soldier Robert James Purkiss was arrested in the UK following an extradition request from Kenya. He denies the charges and is contesting extradition.

Veterans argue that provisions in the 2021 UK-Kenya Defence Cooperation Agreement limit Kenya’s ability to prosecute British personnel, effectively shielding them from local jurisdiction in certain cases.

In March 2026, Sir Roland Walker, head of the British Army, acknowledged that British soldiers had caused harm in Kenya and said justice “must be done and must be seen to be done.”

However, the Mau Mau War Veterans Association dismissed the remarks as insufficient, describing them as acknowledgement without accountability.

With the defence agreement due for renegotiation later this year, the veterans are calling for reforms including granting Kenyan courts jurisdiction over serious crimes involving foreign troops, establishing independent oversight and ensuring support for affected communities. They also want reparations formally included in future bilateral discussions.

The association argues that without accountability, cooperation between Kenya and the United Kingdom will remain imbalanced, with historical grievances continuing to shape present-day relations.