UK cancels military training exercise in Kenya after licence dispute
The British military has cancelled a planned training exercise in Kenya after failing to secure the necessary government licences. While the base in Laikipia remains operational, the incident highlights ongoing administrative tensions despite a long-standing defence partnership.
Why it matters
The cancellation underscores the complex and sometimes strained relationship between the UK and its former colony regarding military presence and sovereignty.
Britain has cancelled one of its annual military trainings in Kenya after failing to obtain a licence from the government, its defence ministry said on Thursday.
Kenya hosts a permanent base for the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Laikipia, about 200 kilometres (130 miles) north of Nairobi.
The east African nation became independent from Britain in 1963 but ties remain strong and their defence agreement allows for several thousand British troops to carry out exercises on Kenyan soil each year.
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