Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Sunday that Kenyan police will soon be deployed to Haiti to address gang violence, potentially within the next few weeks. This comes despite ongoing legal challenges that have delayed the mission.
Kenya is set to lead a UN-backed initiative aimed at stabilizing the Caribbean nation, which has been plagued by violence, poverty, and political instability. The East African country plans to send 1,000 officers as part of the mission, joining personnel from several other countries.
“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,” Ruto stated during a visit to central Kenya on Sunday.
A UN Security Council resolution approved the mission in October last year, but a Kenyan court delayed the deployment in January, ruling that the government lacked the authority to send police officers abroad without a formal agreement. The government secured this agreement on March 1, and Ruto mentioned to the BBC last month that he expected the Kenyan force to depart for Haiti within weeks.
However, a small opposition party in Kenya has filed a new lawsuit attempting to block the deployment. Kenya’s High Court is scheduled to consider the case on June 12.
In addition to Kenya, other countries expressing willingness to participate in the mission include Benin, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Chad.
The mission has raised concerns among global human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch has expressed worries about the mission’s potential human rights implications and its funding. Kenyan police have faced accusations of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings, adding to the apprehension surrounding their involvement in the Haiti mission.
