Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has met with the family of Agnes Wanjiru, a then-21-year-old Kenyan woman who was found murdered in Nanyuki in 2012, in what marks the first official engagement between a UK government minister and Wanjiru’s relatives.

The meeting, held in Nairobi on Monday, April 7, was part of Secretary Healey’s visit to Kenya and fulfilled a commitment he made upon assuming office.

In his remarks following the meeting, Healey described the encounter as “deeply humbling” and praised the family’s strength in their ongoing 13-year pursuit of justice.

“In the 13 years since her death, they have shown such strength in their long fight for justice,” Healey said. “I reiterated my determination to see a resolution to the still unresolved case.”

Healey confirmed that the UK Government continues to support ongoing investigations, including facilitating the travel of Kenyan detectives to the UK to interview witnesses and the deployment of the UK Provost Marshal (Serious Crime) to Kenya.

He also pledged to raise the case directly with President William Ruto during a scheduled meeting later in the day.

“Our government will continue to do everything we can to help the family secure the justice they deserve,” Healey added.

Wanjiru’s body was discovered in a hotel septic tank in Nanyuki in 2012. In 2019, a Kenyan inquest concluded that she had been murdered by one or more British soldiers based in the area at the time.

Since then, her family—particularly her sister Rose Wanjiku and niece Esther Njoki—have consistently called for action from both the Kenyan and UK governments amid allegations of a cover-up by local authorities.

Following their meeting with the Defence Secretary, the family issued a statement reflecting on the personal and emotional toll of Wanjiru's death.

“The death of our beloved Agnes has had a profound and devastating impact on our family,” the statement read. “It was not only the shock of losing Agnes at such a young age, but also the horrific circumstances in which her body was found and all the trauma and struggle our family has been put through in trying to seek justice and accountability.”

They noted that while they appreciated the secretary’s willingness to meet, they remained cautious after years of “empty promises” and limited progress.

“We hope that our meeting with the secretary of State marks the beginning of the UK government and Ministry of Defence taking decisive action to ensure that what happened to Agnes is properly investigated—both in Kenya and in the UK—and to make sure that what happened to Agnes never happens again,” their statement added.

The case remains a high-profile example of strained relations between the UK military presence in Kenya and local communities.

In other news, British MP for Birmingham Yardley, Jess Philips, launched a fundraising initiative to support Stacy, Wanjiru's daughter.

She noted that the young girl was being raised by her aunt under difficult circumstances, with limited resources and support.

The fundraising campaign aimed to provide financial assistance to improve Stacy’s living conditions and secure a better future for her in the wake of her mother’s tragic death.

Source: TUKO.co.ke