NAIROBI — A Kenyan police force is scheduled to depart for Haiti on Tuesday to lead a United Nations-backed mission aimed at addressing gang violence, despite ongoing court challenges against the deployment, according to government and police sources.
"All is set, and the team will be departing on Tuesday," a senior police officer told Capital FM.
Another source said President William Ruto was set to flag off the team on Monday afternoon.
Kenya has offered to send approximately 1,000 police officers to stabilize Haiti, alongside personnel from several other countries. However, the deployment has faced legal obstacles within Kenya.
President Ruto has been a strong proponent of the mission, stating earlier this month that the deployment would begin within weeks. The UN Security Council approved the mission in October, but a Kenyan court delayed the deployment in January, ruling that the Kenyan government had no authority to send police officers abroad without a prior agreement.
The Kenyan government secured the necessary agreement on March 1, but a small opposition party in Kenya has since filed a fresh lawsuit to try to block the deployment.
In addition to Kenya, other countries that have expressed willingness to join the mission include Benin, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, and Chad. The United States is providing funding and logistical support for the mission but will not deploy personnel on the ground in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas.
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Human Rights Concerns
Global monitor Human Rights Watch has raised concerns about the mission and its funding. Rights groups have accused Kenyan police of using excessive force and carrying out unlawful killings.
On Friday, a police watchdog announced it was investigating allegations that officers shot a 29-year-old man in Nairobi following youth-led demonstrations against proposed tax hikes. A second protester later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Background on Haiti's Crisis
Haiti has long struggled with gang violence, which sharply escalated at the end of February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in the capital, Port-au-Prince. The gangs announced their intention to overthrow then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Henry declared in early March that he would step down and transfer executive power to a transitional council. The council appointed Garry Conille as the interim prime minister on May 29.
The violence in Port-au-Prince has severely impacted food security and humanitarian aid access, with much of the city controlled by gangs accused of serious abuses, including murder, rape, looting, and kidnappings.
As the Kenyan force prepares to leave for Haiti, the mission's success will hinge not only on overcoming legal hurdles but also on addressing significant human rights concerns raised by global watchdogs.
