Despite UN Security Council approval, the Kenyan government is blocked from deploying police to lead a UN-backed mission in Haiti. On Friday, a Kenyan court ruled against the government’s plan to send police to Haiti as part of a multinational mission aimed at restoring peace and security in the nation grappling with gang violence, labeling it as “unconstitutional, illegal and invalid.”
Judge Enock Chacha Mwita issued an order prohibiting the deployment of police forces to Haiti or any other country. This ruling comes as the Haitian government urgently seeks a multinational force to assist its overwhelmed police in tackling widespread violence in the country.
Haiti has been in turmoil for years, with armed gangs exerting control over parts of the country, resulting in a broken economy and public health system. Violence has escalated following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise nearly three years ago, leading to citizen protests and calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation due to a failure to address the insecurity. In 2023 alone, Haiti recorded 3,000 homicides and more than 1,500 kidnappings for ransom, according to the UN.
Despite President William Ruto describing the Kenyan mission as a “mission for humanity,” plans to deploy 1,000 officers faced criticism domestically, resulting in a petition filed at the Nairobi High Court by opposition politician Ekuru Aukot last year. Meanwhile, Haiti’s foreign minister has urged the UN Security Council to expedite the deployment, citing barbaric gang violence in the country.
The governments of Haiti and Kenya have yet to respond to the court ruling.
