The United Kingdom Embassy in Kenya has dismissed allegations that personnel from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) participated in policing demonstrations in Nanyuki, following reports and images circulating online during protests held on June 9.
In a statement released on Thursday, the embassy firmly denied claims that British soldiers were involved in crowd control operations during the demonstrations.
“No BATUK personnel policed protests in Nanyuki on 9 June,” the embassy stated.
The clarification comes after social media posts and public speculation suggested that individuals wearing British military-style uniforms had been deployed to help contain protesters in the Laikipia town.
Addressing the images that sparked the controversy, the embassy said the uniforms seen during the protests had been unlawfully obtained and were not linked to any authorised British military activity.
“The British military uniforms seen were misappropriated. We have raised concerns with the Kenyan authorities,” the statement added.
The demonstrations erupted over plans to establish a quarantine and treatment facility at the Laikipia Air Base for United States citizens exposed to Ebola. Protesters expressed fears about possible health risks and accused authorities of failing to adequately inform the public about the project.
Carrying Kenyan flags and placards, demonstrators marched through Nanyuki, with some displaying a coffin bearing the word “Ebola” as a symbol of their opposition to the proposed facility.
Tensions escalated as police moved in to disperse the crowds. Videos shared online showed officers firing tear gas canisters, triggering confrontations between protesters and security personnel.
Reports from the demonstrations indicated that one protester was fatally shot, while several others sustained injuries during the unrest.
Protest leaders accused security agencies of using excessive force against what they described as peaceful demonstrations.
The proposed 50-bed isolation facility is expected to be staffed by American medical personnel and would cater to US nationals affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, the project has faced growing legal and public opposition. A Kenyan court recently issued orders temporarily halting the construction or operationalisation of the facility for three weeks after a legal challenge was filed by a public interest advocacy group.
The court also directed the government to disclose details of its agreement with Washington regarding the proposed centre.
Despite the court order, reports indicate that US military aircraft have continued arriving in Kenya carrying personnel and equipment linked to the planned facility, further fuelling public debate over the controversial project.
The UK Embassy’s statement seeks to distance British military personnel from the events in Nanyuki and address concerns raised by the circulation of images showing individuals wearing British military uniforms during the protests.
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