United States authorities have opened investigations into the death of Walter Nyamato Nyankienya, a police officer who until his death worked as the assistant to the Deputy Inspector General Noor Gabow.
Nyamato was found dead inside his hotel room in the US after he reportedly failed to wake up from his sleep.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow, the officer was part of a team attending a seminar in the US on mission operations.
The cause of his death remains unclear for now, but the Deputy IG assured that the US officials were working to get to the bottom of the death.
“He was attending a seminar in the US when he was found dead in his room. We will know more,” Gabow said in response to the Nyamato’s death.
The Police did not specify the nature of the mission Nyamato and his team were in the US.
However, his family confirmed on Wednesday, February 14, that they were dispatched for a reconnaissance on the Haiti mission.
The reports have since raised questions on whether or not the government was continuing with its preparations for the Haiti mission despite a court order declaring the plans unconstitutional.
Also Read: Govt Gives Way Forward After Court Decision on Haiti Mission
Government adamant to carry on with Haiti police mission
President William Roto’s government had in 2023 offered to lead a multinational mission backed by the United Nations in a bid to restore peace in Haiti which has for decades grappled with the effects of gang-related activities.
As part of the mission, Kenya would contribute up to 1,000 police officers to Carribean Island nation to help coordinate the mission to protect key government installations.
The deal received a major boost in October 2023 when the UN Security Council voted to approve the offer to deploy police officers in Haiti. However, the plan hit a roadblock after the High Court in January declared it unconstitutional.
Also Read: UN Allows Kenya to Send Police to Haiti, Russia; China Abstain
In a ruling on a petition filed by Third way Alliance Leader Dr Ekuru Aukot, Justice Chacha Mwita Chacha ruled that the constitution of Kenya did not in any way envisage a scenario where the state would deploy police officers outside Kenyan boundaries.
“Any decision by any state organ or state officer to deploy police officers to Haiti or any other country contravenes the constitution and the law and is therefore unconstitutional, illegal and invalid,” the Judge ruled.
The panned deployment has also faced opposition from human rights lobby groups and recently from some legislators in the US who have all questioned the integrity and human rights record of the Kenyan police.
However, the government vowed to appeal against the court order and the decision declaring the Haiti Mission unconstitutional.
