Agnes Wanjiru murder: MPs now want British soldiers to face criminal trial in Kenya

British troops who commit murder on Kenyan soil might have to answer for their crimes in a Kenyan court if recommendations by a Parliamentary committee are adopted.

The recommended changes to the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and the U.K which were debated by the National Assembly now await ratification.

The proposed change was sparked by the alleged murder of Agnes Wanjiru by a British soldier in Nanyuki over a decade ago; the precedent-setting move could now bring justice to the families of victims like hers.

MP Nelson Koech, Chairman of the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, said: “It behooves the host nation to make sure that anyone we’ve signed an agreement with strictly is made to adhere to the rules and regulations of the land, whether the county or Constitutions of this country. Such cases of murder or degradation of the environment would not happen if Kenyan officers were training in the UK. We should allow that to happen on our soil.”

If ratified, the amendment would add murder as one of the offences which would be under the jurisdiction of Kenya, which means visiting British troops that commit the offence will be prosecuted under Kenyan Law.

Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi said: “The matter of Wanjiru is very traumatic and until the matter is resolved, this country will not be at peace. Crime is crime and murder is a crime and we can’t exempt murder among the crimes that host nation is allowed to try.”

The move seeks to bring to an end the many issues involving the British army that have gone undressed for decades.

The murder of Agnes Wanjiru is the most jarring and high profile to date, after her body was found back in 2012.

UK media reports claimed that the British soldier in question confessed to a fellow squad member to killing the 21-year-old mother of one and dumping her body in a septic tank at a hotel in Nanyuki.

Despite the British government’s commitment to support investigations, no one has been convicted of her murder, prolonging the much awaited closure and justice for Wanjiru's family 11 years on.