Nanyuki — Children fathered by British soldiers stationed in Nanyuki Town, Laikipia County, have called on the United Kingdom government to fast-track their recognition and support following a landmark court ruling in their favour.
Speaking during a press conference in Nanyuki, three of the affected children narrated painful experiences of growing up without paternal support after being abandoned by their fathers.
They said their mothers were left to raise them single-handedly, often facing economic hardship, stigma, and ridicule from peers because of their mixed-race backgrounds.
In August this year, a UK court issued declarations of parentage for seven individuals and ordered several UK government departments to release the last known contact details of eleven British soldiers alleged to be the fathers.
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The ruling marked a breakthrough for the affected families, many of whom have waited decades for justice.
Following the court decision, the children -- now estimated to number in the hundreds -- have gained the legal right to pursue British citizenship, financial support, and other entitlements from the UK government.
Human rights organisation Vocal Africa, which has been supporting the families, used the press conference to renew calls for a review of the Defence Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
The organisation argued that the agreement governing the operations of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) must be re-examined to address alleged abuses committed against local communities.
Vocal Africa officials maintained that no international partnership should come at the expense of human lives and dignity.
They accused foreign soldiers training in Kenya of long-standing human rights violations, including cases of rape and exploitation, many of which they say have gone unpunished.
Their remarks come in the wake of a recent report by the National Assembly Committee on Defence and Intelligence, which investigated the impact of foreign military training activities in Samburu and Laikipia counties.
The committee's findings linked the presence of foreign troops to environmental degradation, deaths of residents, and other alleged atrocities.
The affected children and human rights groups are now urging both the Kenyan and UK governments to act decisively to ensure accountability, justice, and long-term support for victims of the alleged abuses linked to foreign military operations in the region.
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