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CS Kithure Kindiki: Deployment of police officers to Haiti to cost Sh36.5bn

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki. (Photo: File)

By Abdimalik Hajir | Thursday, November 9, 2023

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed before a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate Committees on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations that the deployment of 1000 Kenyan police officers to a United Nations-backed peacekeeping mission in Haiti would amount to Sh36.5 billion.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed before a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate Committees on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations that the deployment of 1000 Kenyan police officers to a United Nations-backed peacekeeping mission in Haiti would amount to Sh36.5 billion. The allocated funds will cover various aspects, including training, administrative support, weapons, ammunition, anti-riot equipment, transport, technical equipment, and general supplies.

Kindiki emphasized that the financial resources for the mission would be sourced from UN member states. He assured Members of Parliament that the deployment would only occur once all necessary equipment was in place in Haiti, guaranteeing the safety and preparedness of the Kenyan officers.

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The CS further highlighted that Kenya's contribution to the mission, estimated at $241,390,961 (equivalent to Sh36,570,730,591), would be part of the overall mission cost of $600 million (Sh91 billion), which involves troops from various other nations. Addressing concerns about the security situation in Haiti, Kindiki mentioned that a pre-deployment mission had been conducted to assess the ground reality, with measures in place to ensure the safety of the officers.

Additionally, Police Inspector General Japhet Koome confirmed that a thorough selection process had been carried out to identify the officers eligible for deployment to Haiti, including medical examinations and other suitability tests. He expressed confidence in the readiness of the officers for the upcoming mission.

The United Nations Security Council's approval of the Multinational Security Support mission aimed to combat the pervasive influence of violent gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. Kenya will lead the security mission, with support from other nations such as The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Antigua and Barbuda.