Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to confirm reports of Kenyan police officers dying in Haiti.
In a statement on Saturday, March 13, Mutunga also asked the Police Inspector General Japheth Koome to issue an update on the reports he indicated he had received.
The former CJ stated that the internal Security top officers should come clean about the matter for the sake of the families of police officers involved.
“We are hearing that some of our police officers in the advance team in Haiti have been killed. I am asking the IGP and CS Internal Security to answer my question. If true the families involved should not keep quiet about the tragedy,” he said.
Also Read: Why Deployed Kenyan Police are Running Away from Haiti
Kenyans Reactions to Willy Mutunga News
The sentiments from the former CJ alarmed many Kenyans who raised even more questions about the Haiti mission.
While others supported Mutunga’s appeal to Kindiki, others questioned the legitimacy of his statement.
“If it’s true, then this loss is profoundly sad, unfortunate and deeply tragic, our thoughts are with the officer’s family during this uncertain time. Hope the facts will be made public,” George Njoroge said.
On the other hand, Dennis Ouma, an X user, asked the former CJ to get his facts right before instigating fear among members of the public.
“What we are hearing is rumors, talk evidence Dr Willy Mutunga. Do you have evidence that the advanced team in Haiti have been killed?
“Tell us the number of those killed, and even Identity if you have the information. Otherwise, you are propagating rumors,” he said.
A user named Gringo also expressed his concerns over the situation, calling on the government to stop the deployment of police to Haiti for the safety of the lives of the soldiers.
Kenyan Soldiers Leaving Haiti
Earlier, some of the Kenyan officers deployed in Haiti spoke with the BBC, revealing that they were coming back home because there was no clear mechanism on how they were expected to work.
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.
On March 14, 2024, President William Ruto announced that Kenya would be sending a reconnaissance mission to Haiti before the planned deployment of police.
The news came after a conversation with the outgoing Prime Minister Ariel Henry and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.