Second wave of Kenyan police officers sent to Haiti

On Tuesday, a second contingent of Kenyan police officers departed for Haiti, joining a United Nations-backed mission aimed at restoring order in the violence-stricken Caribbean nation.

This deployment follows the initial dispatch of around 400 officers to Port-au-Prince in June, part of Kenya’s contentious pledge to send approximately 1,000 police personnel to aid in stabilizing Haiti.

President William Ruto, who is grappling with significant anti-government protests in Kenya, made the offer amid a storm of legal challenges. Despite these hurdles, Kenya is set to lead a multinational force expected to total around 2,500 personnel, with contributions from several African and Caribbean countries. Although the mission is endorsed by the UN, it is not managed by the international body.

The Kenya National Police Service addressed rumors on July 1 about alleged fatalities among the deployed officers. They confirmed that the forces had been “warmly received” in Haiti and were “all safe and ready to discharge their clear and specific mandate.” The Kenyan officers are collaborating closely with the Haitian National Police, having conducted strategic mapping and joint patrols in Port-au-Prince.

The deployment received UN Security Council approval in October, but was delayed due to a Kenyan court ruling in January that deemed it unconstitutional, citing the absence of a bilateral agreement. After securing the agreement with Haiti in March, the Kenyan government faces a new lawsuit from the opposition party Thirdway Alliance Kenya, seeking to block the deployment.

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The United States, which has long sought a nation to lead the mission, is providing funding and logistical support but has ruled out deploying American troops to Haiti. This decision comes amidst concerns from Human Rights Watch about the mission’s legitimacy and Kenya’s human rights record, with allegations of excessive force and unlawful killings by Kenyan police.

Haiti has endured prolonged gang violence, which escalated in February with coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince aimed at overthrowing then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The resulting violence has severely impacted food security and humanitarian aid, with gangs controlling significant parts of the city and committing widespread abuses, including murder, rape, looting, and kidnappings.

Read: Kenyan police crucial for controlling gangs, says Haiti PM