The United Kingdom (UK) Embassy in Kenya has responded to claims that British Army personnel were involved in policing protests in Nanyuki on June 9.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 9, the embassy denied the reports, terming them inaccurate.
“No BATUK personnel policed protests in Nanyuki on 9 June,” the Embassy said.
UK Embassy Denies BATUK Involvement in Nanyuki Protests
Reports had emerged online and among sections of the public, suggesting that members of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) were seen taking part in crowd control during the demonstrations.
Images circulated online showed people in British military-style uniforms allegedly involved in controlling protesters.
However, the embassy dismissed the allegations, stating that BATUK personnel were not deployed for any policing role.
Officials further clarified that the British military uniforms circulating were misappropriated and not linked to authorized military activity.
The agency further noted that it has formally raised concerns with Kenyan authorities over the misuse of the uniforms.
“The British military uniforms seen were misappropriated. We have raised concerns with the Kenyan authorities,” the embassy said.
Also Read: KDF Soldiers Take Charge as Protests Erupt in Nanyuki Over Ebola Quarantine Facility
Nanyuki Protests and Court Ruling on US Ebola Quarantine Facility
Protests were staged in Nanyuki as demonstrators opposed the establishment of a quarantine centre at the Laikipia Air Base for United States nationals exposed to Ebola.
Groups of protesters, waving Kenyan flags, carrying placards, and holding a coffin with the word “Ebola” written on the side, demanded that the US plan to build the health facility at a nearby military base be reversed.
The mood quickly turned tense as videos circulating on social media showed officers lobbing tear gas canisters into the crowd, and sparked running battles between police and demonstrators.
One protester was reportedly shot dead.
Protesters accused police of responding with unnecessary force to what they insisted were lawful, peaceful gatherings.
The US plan has sparked public concern in Kenya over cross-border infection risks and a lack of transparency from the government regarding the treatment centre.
The proposed 50-bed isolation centre is to be staffed by US medics and is intended to treat Americans affected by the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Also Read: Teargas Lobbed as Nanyuki Residents Turn Up for Second Anti-Ebola Protests
High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi last week issued a temporary injunction barring the government from taking any steps to build or commence operations at the Nanyuki site for three weeks, following a lawsuit filed by a legal advocacy group.
The court also ordered the government to make public the details of its agreement with Washington over the facility.
Despite the court order, US military aircraft have continued to land in Kenya in recent days, ferrying in staff and equipment, according to a US official and diplomatic sources
