President William Ruto has defended his government’s decision to deploy police officers to Haiti for a peacekeeping mission while explaining if Kenya is committing to the United States through the mission.
President Ruto defended the deployment while responding to questions from journalists during a joint panel in the United States on May 23, 2024, with US President Joe Biden.
During the joint podium with Biden, Ruto was cornered by Citizen TV journalist Ayub Abdikadir who queried him on why his government is keen on the foreign peacekeeping mission while the security situation in various parts of Kenya is critical.
Particularly, Abdukadir questioned Ruto on why his government is committing to Haiti, yet some parts of the North Rift region of Kenya are experiencing delayed school reopening due to the insecurity caused by banditry.
The Head of State defended the decision noting that his government is doing enough to return normalcy in the North Rift region while also comparing the Haiti mission to other peacekeeping missions undertaken by Kenya.
He cited missions undertaken by Kenyan troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia, adding that the Haiti mission stands as part of Kenya’s commitment to maintaining peace.
“I made a commitment to the people of Kenya to sort out insecurity in the North Rift. I have followed that with action. We have made tremendous progress in making sure that we create security at home.
Ruto Defends Haiti Mission in US
We still deployed a thousand troops to DRC Congo because that is our neighborhood. We have five thousand troops in Somalia because equally that is our responsibility and Haiti should not be an exception,” Ruto said.
Abdukadir had asked the Head of State to explain the geopolitical goal of the security mission despite the Carribean nation being thousands of miles away.
The journalist gave an example of the security situation in Kenya highlighting delayed school reopening in the counties of West-Pokot, Baringo and Turkana where bandits run the show.
Also Read: Haiti Mission: Ruto Encounters Fresh Hurdle as Deployment Dates Are Confirmed
He further highlighted the commitment of Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale in deploying Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) or special personnel in the regions ensure that schools go back to schools in the banditry areas.
“You said that Kenya is committed, and you said the mission is about helping Haiti out. Can you explain the geopolitical goal. 12,000 Kilometers away from Nairobi when schools in the counties of Baringo, West Pokot and Turkana have not yet opened because of the banditry problem yet you are committing our National Police Force to Haiti. Where is your priority?” posed Abdukadir.
Ruto while responding, said that Kenya is a voluntary contributor to what humanity needs further refuting claims that Nairobi was doing the heavy lifting for Washington.
North-Rift Banditry
He reiterated Kenya’s commitment to sending Police officers and KDF to fight banditry in the North Rift, adding that deploying officers in Haiti speaks the same belief to peace and security.
“As we talk there are 3,000 military officers and 2,000 police officers in the North Rift. We have renovated the first 15 schools and completed. We have reopened 20 schools that were closed in the Nort Rift and have made tremendous progress in making sure that we keep security at home but that does not take away our responsibility of our commitment to create peace and stability,” he said.
This response came following reports that the deployment of the first batch of Kenyan police officers to Haiti to lead an international anti-gang force had been delayed after a planned flight from Nairobi was postponed on Tuesday.
Deployment Delayed
Previously, U.S. officials had indicated that the officers would be in Port-au-Prince by Thursday to coincide with Ruto’s state visit to the White House.
Kenya volunteered in July 2023 to lead the mission but has faced repeated delays deploying due to litigation brought by opponents of the Haiti mission plan and a surge of violence in March that led to the resignation of former Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry.
This also came after the deployment faced afresh hurdle following a petition by Lawyer Ekuru Aukot and other Kenyan lawyers on May 16, 2024, against the government accusing it of contempt of court by continuing with the mission.
In their petition, the lawyers claimed that the state contravened a court order issued in January stopping the deployment.
Kenya is set to lead the mission which will comprise up to 2,500 personnel made up of officers from different countries.
“The United States reaffirmed its support for Kenya’s plan to deploy 1,000 police to Haiti as part of the MSS mission to Haiti to help bring security and stability to the Caribbean nation.
The Kenyan-led mission is intended to counter gangs who control most of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince and who have carried out sexual violence, widespread killings, kidnappings and sexual violence.
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