Why Kenya Will Be Forced to Put on Hold Police Deployment to Haiti

Kenya will have to wait longer before deploying 1000 police officers for a Peace Keeping Mission to Haiti.

This is following the resignation of Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Monday, March 11 after weeks of pressure and increasing violence in the Caribbean country.

According to t Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei, Kenya cannot proceed with the police deployment to Haiti without a political administration on which the deployment can rest.

The Kenyan government will now have to wait for a new constitutional authority to be installed before making further decisions on the deployment of officers.

Kenya and Haiti on March 1 signed an agreement formalizing the deployment of 1,000 police officers to the North American nation.

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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki signed the agreement with his Haitian counterpart at State House Nairobi.

“I am pleased to inform you that Prime Minister Ariel Henri and I have witnessed the signing of this instrument. We have also discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment,” Ruto said in a statement.

The High Court on January 26 blocked the deployment of Kenyan officers to Haiti saying the National Security Council lacks authority to deploy police officers outside the country.

Justice Chacha Mwita in his ruling also pointed out that Kenya does not have an arrangement with Haiti for police officers to be deployed.

CS Kindiki on Monday announced that the Haiti peace Mission is in the pre-redeployment phase.

He noted that all frameworks including the law of detention, arrest, and standard operation procedures have been finalized.