By Kennedy Nalyanya
The British Army has ceased its controversial use of white phosphorus (WP) munitions during training exercises in Kenya following significant public outcry and a formal Kenyan parliamentary inquiry. The decision, disclosed in a late October witness statement to Kenyan lawmakers, confirms the discontinuation of the practice since 2022.
The inquiry was spurred by reporting from the non-governmental organization, Declassified UK, which revealed that British troops had fired WP mortar and artillery smoke rounds on at least 15 occasions between 2017 and 2022.
Grave Concerns for Communities and Environment
The majority of this controversial live-fire training occurred near Archer's Post, a vast tract of communal land critical for Samburu nomadic pastoralists and local farmers. This deployment on inhabited lands ignited profound health and environmental concerns.
Human Health Risks: White phosphorus is an incendiary chemical that causes horrific, deep, and often fatal burns on contact with skin. Mainstream reports highlight that even small fragments can lead to multiple organ failure. Local communities near Archer's Post have long raised alarms over the potential exposure and contamination.
Environmental Damage: Environmental groups, including the African Centre for Climate and Pollution Accountability (ACCPA), condemned the use of WP on community grazing lands as "extremely grave." WP contamination can leach into water sources and soil, impacting both livestock and agricultural land.
The British Army had previously insisted its use was for illumination and smoke-screening, which is not explicitly banned under international law for military use, but critics, including Kenyan lawyer Kelvin Kubai, pointed to the "double standards" of the UK condemning Russia for its alleged use in Ukraine while employing it in Kenya.
Accountability and the Parliamentary Probe
The move to halt the use of the munitions came as the Kenyan National Assembly's Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee launched a full-scale inquiry into the activities of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK). This probe is also addressing a wider range of long-standing allegations, including:
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The unresolved 2012 murder of Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru, allegedly by a British soldier.
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The devastating 2021 wildfire at Lolldaiga Conservancy in Laikipia, which destroyed over 12,000 acres and led to a landmark legal settlement stripping the UK government of immunity from Kenyan civil suits.
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Persistent issues of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
The British Army's statement to the inquiry affirmed that while WP is no longer used, their current practices strictly adhere to comprehensive UK regulations, which they claim are applied "equally, and in many instances more strictly" in Kenya. However, the existing licence to use WP munitions reportedly remains in place, meaning the practice could potentially be resumed in the future.
The Looming Danger of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)
Despite the cessation of white phosphorus use, concerns persist regarding the continued use of high-explosive rounds. The shift in training focus is reportedly towards high-explosive artillery due to lessons from conflicts like the war in Ukraine.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) remains a deadly threat. Mainstream media reports confirm that hundreds of Kenyan civilians have been injured or killed by unexploded devices left behind by British troops over the past two decades, with the UK government having previously paid out millions of pounds in compensation for such incidents. The annual range sweeps conducted by BATUK and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) continue to find and safely dispose of dozens of explosive devices, underscoring the enduring danger to the Samburu herders and children who use the communal lands.
The parliamentary inquiry is seen as a critical step toward ensuring greater accountability and justice for local communities affected by the British military presence, reigniting the debate over the nature of the long-standing military pact between the two nations.
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