Interior cabinet secretary Kithure Kindiki now says That Kenya-led Haiti Mission is in the pre-deployment phase.
In his statement on Monday, Kindiki assured that all necessary legal procedures have been successfully addressed, paving the way for Kenya’s participation in a multinational mission to Haiti.
“Kenyan police officers will be just part of a multinational security mission in Haiti. Kenya is the lead nation but other countries have pledged to contribute troops and this came from the United Nations Security Council,” he said.
“This is part of our international obligation.”
The Cabinet Secretary acknowledged a minor legal matter that required resolution, but he emphasized that it has been successfully dealt with, granting the government approval to dispatch officers to Haiti.
“The courts said we needed to have a reciprocal agreement with Haiti and that was signed about a week ago. We are now in the pre-deployment stage. All the other programs are in place including the status of forces agreement and other enforcement measures are now in place,” Kindiki added.
Kenya’s commitment involves deploying a contingent of at least 1,000 police officers to the Caribbean nation.
Haiti has been grappling with a severe security crisis, marked by the dominance of various gangs in key cities and other regions. This surge in gang influence has been on the rise since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Current estimates indicate that 200 to 300 gangs exert control over significant portions of the country, with a staggering 90 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, falling under their influence. The deployment of Kenyan officers is seen as a crucial contribution to addressing the complex security challenges facing Haiti.