It is now emerging that some of the Kenyan police officers who had volunteered to go to Haiti for the multi-national security support mission are running back to the country.
According to some of the officers who spoke to the BBC, the officers were deployed without a clear mechanism on how they were expected to work.
As a result, one officer indicated that he had decided to come back home.
Additionally, another officer said that he feared for his life because of the extreme rise in violence in the country, therefore leaving for his own safety.
“One officer told the BBC that there were no clear mechanisms on how they were required to work while on the mission.
“Another said some members of his squad had withdrawn following the recent rise in violence. Gangs in Port-au-Prince have taken advantage of Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s absence to unleash a series of coordinated attacks,” reported the broadcasting network.
Also Read: Ruto Defies Court, Seals Deal with Haiti
Increased Violence and Prison Break in Haiti
The report followed a declaration of a state of emergency on March 3, by Haiti with an extreme surge in violence.
Furthermore, the government implemented a nighttime curfew to restore order in the streets after armed gang members stormed the country’s two biggest prison centers in the country, namely in the Capital and at Croix des Bouquets.
The police were ordered to use all legal means at their disposal to enforce the curfew and apprehend all offenders leaving behind several dead bodies on the streets.
In Port-au-Prince, about 4,000 prisoners orchestrated a large-scale escape from prison leaving the usually crowded facility strangely empty.
The escapees targeted various locations, including police stations, the nation’s international airport, and the national soccer stadium.
Also Read: Haiti Declares State of Emergency After Prison Break
Ruto Signs deal With PM Despite Court Order
Earlier on March 1, President William Ruto and Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henri signed an instrument enabling the deployment of Kenyan police officers in Haiti.
According to the head of state, the signing of the reciprocal instrument between the two countries on the multi-national security support mission in Haiti was done after the two leaders held a meeting at the State House in Nairobi.
The move was made despite a High Court ruling that declared the deployment unconstitutional after a subsequent petition was filed in court.
“Today, March 1, 2024, I am pleased to inform that Prime Minister Ariel Henri and I have witnessed the signing of this instrument. We have also discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment,” read part of the statement.
