President Ruto flags off first 400 police officers to Haiti » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 24 – President William Ruto has flaged off the first 400 police officers headed to Haiti.

The officers are due to travel to Haiti on Tuesday to lead a United Nations-backed mission aimed at addressing gang violence.

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.

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.

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