President William Ruto announced on Sunday that Kenyan police are ready to deploy to Haiti within the coming weeks to combat gang violence, despite legal challenges that have delayed the mission. Kenya aims to spearhead a United Nations-backed operation to restore stability in the Caribbean nation, which has been plagued by violence, poverty, and political unrest.
As part of the mission, Kenya is expected to send 1,000 officers alongside personnel from various other countries. During a visit to central Kenya on Sunday, Ruto addressed the matter, stating, “The people of Haiti are maybe waiting, by the grace of God, that probably by next week or the other week, we shall send our police officers to restore peace.”
The deployment was initially approved by a UN Security Council resolution in October of the previous year. However, a Kenyan court delayed the mission in January, asserting that the government lacked the authority to send police officers abroad without a prior agreement. The government secured the necessary agreement on 1 March, and Ruto informed the BBC last month that he anticipated the deployment of a Kenyan force to Haiti within weeks.
Nevertheless, a small opposition party in Kenya has filed a fresh lawsuit in an attempt to block the mission. The Kenyan High Court is scheduled to consider the case on 12 June. Apart from Kenya, other countries that have expressed willingness to participate in the mission include Benin, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Chad.
Human Rights Watch, a global monitor, has raised concerns regarding the mission’s potential impact on human rights and has expressed doubts about its funding. Rights groups have previously accused Kenyan police of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings.
