Kenya will not deploy its police to Haiti until it receives funds to cover its expenses

Nairobi.- Kenya’s Minister of the Interior, Kithure Kindiki, has stated that Kenya will not send its police officers to Haiti as part of the multinational mission approved by the United Nations until it receives the estimated 225 million euros needed for deployment. He emphasized that the resources for this mission must be mobilized and made available by UN Member States before Kenyan troops depart.

The deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti is expected to cost approximately 36.57 billion Kenyan shillings (about 225 million euros). Despite this warning, Kenya has already begun the process of identifying the 1,000 police officers who are expected to travel to Haiti in several batches.

The Kenyan government initially approved the deployment on October 13, but it faced legal challenges, with some arguing that it was unconstitutional under Kenya’s Constitution, which limits police deployment for operations within the national territory. Kindiki stated that Parliament would have the final say on Kenya’s participation in the UN mission.

The mission to Haiti is in response to the country’s deep crisis characterized by extreme violence and the presence of armed groups controlling parts of its territory. The mission will focus on providing police support to the Haitian Police, rather than functioning as a traditional peacekeeping force. Several Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, Barbados, and the Bahamas, have also expressed their willingness to participate in the mission.