Kenya still defends the deployment of its police in Haiti despite criticism

Kenya.- Kenyan Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki has defended the Kenyan government’s plan to deploy Kenyan police to Haiti as part of a UN-approved multinational mission, despite a temporary court order blocking the deployment. Kindiki stated that Kenya has a history of supporting peace missions globally and would not send its agents as “guinea pigs.”

He also mentioned that before the deployment, the Kenyan government plans to send another diplomatic mission to the United Nations. The court order temporarily blocked the deployment until October 24, 2023, citing concerns about the Kenyan Constitution limiting police deployment for operations outside national territory.

While opposition and concerns exist regarding the deployment, Kenya had offered to lead a multinational force to support Haiti’s security situation, which was requested by the Haitian government and received approval from the UN Security Council. Haiti has been facing severe violence and instability in recent years.