Kenyans have blasted Foreign Affairs cabinet secretary Alfred Mutua for offering to send police officers to Haiti to help stabilize the gang-wrenched country when Kenya is grappling with its own security challenges.
While speaking to Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly on phone Saturday, Dr Mutua, said the decision was arrived at after reviewing Haiti’s situation where gangs have reigned terror to its citizens.
The two called for an immediate ceasefire and respect of human rights and called on countries undermining Sudan’s peace and stability to refrain from doing so immediately. They also agreed to support each other in the evacuation of their citizens.
“In the same vein, Kenya has offered to mediate between the two warring groups in Sudan. Additionally,” said Dr. Mutua.
Kenyans have since questioned the sentiments of the cabinet secretary with some calling on him to first have the police deal with the situation in the troubled north of Kenya.
“Why can’t we first deal with the bandit situation in West Pokot, Samburu, Marsabit & others? Or Kenyan lives do not matter? “tweeted a Kenyan, with some observing the low number of police to citizen ratio.
It is however not the first time Kenya is sending forces abroad to help quell unrest.
In November last year, Kenya sent 900 troops to the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which is faced with a major security challenge in the eastern part. Armed groups in eastern DRC had stepped up attacks, reviving ancient animosities and unleashing a surge in tension with neighboring Rwanda.
Kenya also has another 3,000 troops in Somalia fighting the Alshabaab as part of the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
