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Haiti mission to go ahead despite court ruling - Ruto

President William Ruto during a meeting on January 30, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (PCS)

By Mercy Asamba | Wednesday, January 31, 2024

The President said the deployment of Kenyan police officers might begin as early as next week.

President William Ruto has said the Kenyan mission to Haiti is still on despite last week’s court ruling that declared it illegal and invalid.

Kenya had thrown its weight into the UN-approved security mission to the Caribbean nation plagued by gang violence but Justice Chacha Mwita last Friday ruled that it would be unconstitutional to deploy officers abroad unless there was a "reciprocal arrangement" in place with Haiti.

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“It is not contested that there is no reciprocal arrangement between Kenya and Haiti and for that reason, there can be no deployment of police to that country,” Mwita said.

But speaking to Reuters on Tuesday, Ruto, who is attending an Italian-Africa summit in Rome, said Haiti had asked for help months ago, and he expected a request would come shortly that would satisfy the demands of the court.

"So that mission can go ahead as soon as next week if all the paperwork is done between Kenya and Haiti on the bilateral route that has been suggested by the court," Ruto said.

He said the discussions were underway with Haiti to get the necessary request.

"Haiti has actually written formally, not today, several months ago," he said as quoted by Reuters.

Haiti troubles

The United Nations on January 25 reported that more than 8,400 people were victims of gang violence in Haiti last year, including killings, injuries and kidnappings – a 122 per cent increase over 2022. The UN report also stated that homicides in that country more than doubled in 2023 to nearly 4,800.

The insecurity in Haiti worsened following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, at his private residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, four years after he took over as the 43rd leader. No election has taken place ever since and the presidency remains vacant, with Prime Minister Ariel Henry currently serving as the acting President.

The PM appealed for help in combating the gangs that have been taking over parts of the country and unleashed violence on residents, leaving the economy and the public health system in tatters.

Following his call for assistance, the UN Security Council last October authorised the deployment of a multinational security support mission to back Haiti’s police force.

Kenya offered to lead the mission by sending 1,000 officers who were to be supplemented by the Bahamas, Jamaica, and Antigua and Barbuda. The United States pledged $200 million to get the deployment off the ground.