{"id":138596,"date":"2026-04-22T10:03:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T10:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/mps-approve-defence-pacts-with-france-china-ethiopia-czech-republic-and-zimbabwe\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T10:03:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T10:03:04","slug":"mps-approve-defence-pacts-with-france-china-ethiopia-czech-republic-and-zimbabwe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/mps-approve-defence-pacts-with-france-china-ethiopia-czech-republic-and-zimbabwe\/","title":{"rendered":"MPs approve defence pacts with France, China, Ethiopia, Czech Republic and Zimbabwe"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 22 \u2014 Lawmakers have approved the ratification of five Defence Cooperation Agreements (DCAs) with foreign partners, backing deeper military and security collaboration to tackle emerging threats such as cybercrime and terrorism, while attaching strict conditions to safeguard national sovereignty, human rights, and the environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Members of Parliament endorsed the agreements between Kenya and France, the Czech Republic, China, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe following a detailed review by the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech.<\/p>\n

Moving the motion in the House, Koech said the pacts are critical to strengthening Kenya\u2019s defence capacity and positioning the country within an increasingly complex global security environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese agreements will enhance Kenya\u2019s defence capabilities through partnerships with technologically advanced and strategically significant states,\u201d he said, adding that the deals will deepen cooperation in intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism, peace support operations, and research and development.<\/p>\n

The ratification, however, came with far-reaching reservations after lawmakers insisted on conditions touching on criminal jurisdiction, environmental protection, community relations, and the need for a standardised framework to guide future defence agreements.<\/p>\n

In what legislators described as a historic shift, Parliament conducted extensive public participation before approving the agreements, marking a departure from past practice in the handling of defence treaties.<\/p>\n

Public participation <\/h2>\n

The committee invited submissions from institutions including the Ministry of Defence, the State Department for Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Attorney-General, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time we have subjected Defence Cooperation Agreements to public participation as guided by Article 118 of the Constitution,\u201d Koech said, noting that stakeholder input significantly strengthened the review process.<\/p>\n

Gilgil MP Martha Wangari, who seconded the motion, said the consultations exposed critical gaps that could have been overlooked if Parliament had remained involved only at the final approval stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realised the importance of involving line ministries early in the negotiation process,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\u201cParliament often comes in at the tail end, with limited options. This process must change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawmakers broadly supported the agreements, citing their strategic importance in addressing emerging security threats, including cybercrime, terrorism, and cross-border instability.<\/p>\n

Modern domains<\/h2>\n

Leader of the Majority Party Kimani Ichung\u2019wah said the agreements extend beyond traditional military training to cover modern security domains such as cybersecurity, maritime surveillance, and space technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are new frontiers that will significantly enhance the capability of our defence forces,\u201d he said, noting that cooperation with Ethiopia could help address insecurity along the Marsabit\u2013Moyale corridor and curb cross-border crime.<\/p>\n

Funyula MP Ojiambo Oundo described the ratification as a positive step but cautioned that Kenya\u2019s national interests must remain paramount.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must guard against human rights abuses and ensure that these agreements do not disadvantage Kenyans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A key issue during debate was the question of criminal jurisdiction over foreign troops operating in Kenya, with legislators unanimously agreeing that serious crimes committed on Kenyan soil must be prosecuted under Kenyan law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no way a soldier can commit a crime here and escape justice,\u201d Koech said, stressing that offences such as murder, sexual violence, and torture must be handled within Kenya\u2019s legal system.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers also raised concerns over the environmental and social impact of foreign military activities, particularly in training areas.<\/p>\n

Environmental protection <\/h2>\n

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris called for clear environmental protection clauses in all agreements, warning that defence cooperation should not come at the expense of ecosystems, wildlife, and local communities.<\/p>\n

The committee cited past incidents involving environmental degradation and unexploded ordnance, urging enforceable safeguards to mitigate such risks.<\/p>\n

Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe welcomed provisions requiring visiting forces to respect local cultures and traditions, saying foreign troops must operate strictly within their mandate.<\/p>\n

Another concern was the lack of a uniform template for defence agreements, which MPs said has led to inconsistencies in critical provisions. <\/p>\n

The House recommended developing a standardised framework to guide future negotiations and ensure minimum safeguards on jurisdiction, environmental protection, and community relations.<\/p>\n

MPs further called for enhanced parliamentary oversight and adequate funding to monitor implementation of the agreements, especially those executed outside the country.<\/p>\n

Despite the reservations, lawmakers expressed confidence that the agreements, if implemented with the proposed safeguards, will strengthen Kenya\u2019s security architecture and regional influence amid evolving global threats.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world is changing, and so are security threats,\u201d Koech said in closing remarks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese partnerships are necessary, but they must be anchored in strong legal and institutional safeguards.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 22 \u2014 Lawmakers have approved the ratification of five Defence Cooperation Agreements (DCAs) with foreign partners, backing deeper military and security collaboration to tackle emerging threats such as cybercrime and terrorism, while attaching strict conditions to safeguard national sovereignty, human rights, and the environment. Members of Parliament endorsed the agreements between Kenya […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138596\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}