NAIROBI: Parliament of Kenya on Thursday approved the proposed deployment of its police to head a UN-backed multinational mission to Haiti to restore peace and stability in the Caribbean state.
The UN Security Council in October approved the deployment of Kenya-led mission to help the under pressure Haitian police battling rampant gang violence.
Despite the UNSC move Kenya’s involvement in the mission has been criticized in the country and the government is currently stopped from deploying any police to Haiti due to an ongoing court proceedings.
Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss Shollei on Thursday said the House approved the deployment of the officers of the National Police Service to multinational mission to Haiti.
Keyna willing to commit up to 1,000 personnel
The government has said it is ready to commit up to 1,000 personnel and vowed that despite the court proceedings preparations for the mission will continue.
Earlier Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said Kenya would not be sending its police to Haiti unless the UN-backed multinational mission was fully funded by the world body’s member countries.
He said that the overall budget for the one-year deployment aimed at restoring calm in the gang-plagued Caribbean country was 600 million dollars, pending a final review.
Besides Kenya, Antigua, Barbuda, Bahamas, and Jamaica have already pledged to contribute personnel to the UN mission.
The United States has expressed its readiness to provide financial and logistical support for this initiative.
In August United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had stressed for the deployment of multinational police to disarm gangs in Haiti.
Last year Haiti government appealed the UNSC to send international support to fight violent gangs that have largely controlled the capital Port-au-Prince.
There are only about 10,000 police officials for more than 11 million people in Haiti. More than 30 officers were killed from January to June, and more than 400 police facilities have been destroyed in criminal attacks.
