The United Kingdom has said that, contrary to reports, it is not pushing for immunity for its troops while training in Kenya.

Talks between the two governments for renewal of their Defence Co-operation Agreement (DCA) have been ongoing since July. The new DCA will allow British troops to continue conducting live training exercises in Kenya’s northern region.

“UK troops have never had any legal immunity in Kenya and have always been accountable for any crimes they commit in Kenya, under Kenyan or UK law,” said Stephen Burns, the spokesperson for the British High Commission in Nairobi.

Kenya has been reluctant to renew the pact, with key figures blaming Britain for frequently issuing travel advisories against the country citing terror threats. Kenya has always protested the warnings as being in bad faith and likely to hurt its tourism industry.

At a military expo by British defence contractors in Nairobi a fortnight ago, however, Defence Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo said Kenya will soon renew the permit. The British envoy for his part told The EastAfrican that “constructive dialogue on the new DCA continues.”

READ: Kenya, Britain to review defence co-operation pact

Mr Burns said: “We are confident of a successful and rapid outcome that will reflect the positions and requirements of the Kenyan and UK governments.”

Senior Kenyan government officials had demanded the suspension of the travel warnings for the permit to be renewed. As a result, more than 1,000 British soldiers who had completed training were stranded in Kenya last year following a delay in clearing their replacements.

The pact has allowed six infantry battalions of the British Army to carry out annual six-week exercises in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, for decades. Nanyuki is seen as ideal location because the dusty and barren terrain resembles that of Afghanistan, where British troops are fighting a resurgent Taliban.

Also, three Royal Engineer squadrons carry out civil engineering projects while two Medical Company deployments provide primary healthcare to civilians.

“We have every expectation that our long-shared tradition of military co-operation will continue for decades to come and in the process deliver a more stable and secure Kenya,” Mr Burns told The EastAfrican.

Last year, the UK spent $95 million on military support to Kenya, with $76 million going directly into the economy and the remainder into joint training with local security forces, including operational and equipment assistance and community projects.