Kenyan President William Ruto has revealed plans for Kenyan police forces to intervene in Haiti’s gang violence crisis in the near future, despite facing legal obstacles that have slowed down the process.
Leading a United Nations-backed effort, Kenya aims to stabilize Haiti, which has been plagued by rampant violence, economic hardships, and political unrest.
The deployment is expected to include 1,000 Kenyan officers, alongside personnel from various other nations.
Expressing optimism during a visit to central Kenya, Ruto stated, “The people of Haiti are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our police officers, hopefully next week or the week after, to restore peace.”
Although a UN Security Council resolution greenlit the mission last October, legal hurdles in Kenya caused delays, with a January court ruling questioning the government’s authority to send officers abroad without prior agreements.
However, the necessary agreement was finalized on March 1, and Ruto hinted in a recent BBC interview that the Kenyan team would be dispatched soon.
Nevertheless, a minor opposition party in Kenya has launched a fresh legal challenge to hinder the deployment, with the High Court slated to address the case on June 12.
In addition to Kenya’s involvement, other nations such as Benin, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Chad have expressed readiness to join the mission.
Human Rights Watch has voiced concerns about potential human rights violations and uncertainties surrounding funding for the initiative, citing previous allegations against Kenyan police for excessive force and unlawful killings.