FACT CHECK: Truth Behind Video of BATUK Officer Engaging Traffic Police in Kenya

A video circulating on social media shows a British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) officer standing alongside traffic police officers as they manage vehicles at a road junction in Nanyuki.

The footage has sparked claims that the foreign military officer was directing or supervising Kenyan traffic police officers.

To establish what happened during the incident, Hivileo conducted a search into the circumstances surrounding the video and found that the events differed from how they have been presented online.

The footage attracted attention after Alfa House claimed that the BATUK officer was supervising Kenyan traffic police officers in Nanyuki and suggested that his presence amounted to foreign interference in local traffic operations.

“BATUK officer is supervising Kenyan traffic police in Nanyuki. Imagine a KDF officer landing in London dictating British traffic rules,” Alfa House claimed.

The statement portrayed the officer’s presence alongside the Kenyan traffic police as evidence that he was directing their work.

Russian Embassy Weighs In on BATUK Officer 

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Kenya joined the online discussion and alleged that the incident reflected a colonial mindset.

“Some are still living under the illusion that Kenya is a colony. Spoiler alert: it’s 2026. Kenya has been independent since 1963. It’s time for the UK to update that worldview,” the Embassy stated.

However, Hivileo has established that these claims are false and misleading.

What Really Happened at Total Junction

The incident took place on September 25, 2026, during routine traffic checks at Total Junction along Nanyuki Road.

At the time, two traffic police officers were managing vehicles when a snarl-up developed and stretched for almost one kilometre.

As the officers worked to clear the congestion, the BATUK officer seen in the video approached them and informed them that approximately 27 military trucks carrying military personnel had become stuck in the traffic jam.

He then requested priority for the approaching vehicles so the military convoy could proceed through the area.

Following the request, the traffic officers cleared the way for the approaching vehicles and continued managing the traffic situation.

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Role of BATUK Officer at the Scene

Throughout the encounter, the BATUK officer remained at the location with the traffic officers while waiting for the military trucks to reach the traffic checkpoint.

Rather than assist the Kenyan officers with their duties, the foreign military officer stayed at the scene because he was waiting for the military trucks.

The traffic officers, meanwhile, continued performing their routine responsibilities and did not hand over traffic control to the BATUK officer.

Eventually, the officer left the scene after the military trucks reached the traffic checkpoint.

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What the Video Does Not Show

Viewed without the surrounding circumstances, the footage may give the impression that the foreign military officer was participating in traffic control alongside the Kenyan officers.

The events before and after the footage, however, provide a different context.

The officer approached the traffic police to inform them about the military trucks stuck in the congestion and request priority passage for the convoy.

Consequently, the interaction did not involve the BATUK officer supervising or directing the Kenyan traffic police officers.

Instead, the Kenyan officers continued carrying out their traffic duties while the BATUK officer waited for the military convoy to arrive.

The claim that the officer was supervising Kenyan traffic police in Nanyuki therefore does not reflect what happened during the incident.

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A collage photo of a BATUK Officer on September 25, 2026, during a traffic snarl at Total Junction along Nanyuki Road. PHOTO/ Screengrab