Kenya Postpones Deployment Of Police Officers To Haiti Again As New Hurdles Emerge

• Kenya security personnel who had gone to assess the situation in Haiti will be returning to the country due to logistical issues
• A senior officer disclosed that the bases where the officers will operate are yet to be fully constructed
• President William Ruto announced the postponement, citing a need for sufficient preparation before the officers embark on the mission

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Over 200 Kenyan police officers who had been dispatched to Haiti for an advanced peacekeeping mission are returning home on Monday, May, 27.

This decision comes amidst a sense of urgency in Haiti due to a surge in gang attacks.

Why has police deployment to Haiti been postponed?

The deployment, initially scheduled to commence this week, has been postponed for three weeks following a recommendation from the deployed officers due to logistical challenges, according to Citizen Digital.

President William Ruto announced a three-week postponement, citing the requirement for sufficient preparation.

According to a senior official familiar with the situation, the base where the Kenyan police were to operate is only about 70% complete, with the armoury lacking secure storage facilities.

Another senior officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that the bases are still under construction, and essential resources such as vehicles are required before the initial deployment of 200 officers can take place.

The UN-backed security mission, with logistical support from the United States but no ground troops, aims to bolster Haiti's struggling police force against powerful criminal gangs known for their indiscriminate shootings, kidnappings, and sexual violence.

NPS sends 200 police officers to Haiti

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Police Service was expected to send the first batch of security personnel to the troubled country on May 23 for the peacekeeping mission.

The officers were to be drawn mainly from the elite Recce squad, Rapid Deployment Force and Special Operation Group.

Kenya's deployment to Haiti comes seven months after the United Nations Security Council gave the country the green light to lead a multinational peacekeeping mission.

What else you need to know about the Haiti mission

• First Lady Rachel Ruto offered prayers for the security personnel heading to Haiti to face the marauding gang
• High Court suspends deployment of police officers to Haiti
• A police officer who was on a Haiti mission was found dead in a hotel in the US

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke