Second batch of Kenyan police sent to Haiti

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A second team of Kenyan police officers travelled to Haiti on Tuesday to join a United Nations-backed operation aimed at restoring order in the violence-torn Caribbean nation.

The deployment follows the dispatch of about 400 police officers to Port-au-Prince in June this year as part of Kenya’s commitment to send about 1,000 police officers to Haiti to help stabilize the situation.

Kenyan President William Ruto, who is grappling with massive anti-government protests in Kenya, made the proposal amid a series of legal challenges. Despite the obstacles, Kenya will lead a multinational force expected to total about 2,500 troops, including personnel from several African and Caribbean countries. While the mission is recognized by the United Nations, it is not managed by the international body.

On July 1, the Kenya National Police responded to rumors of the death of deployed officers. They confirmed that the officers had been “warmly welcomed” in Haiti and that “all are safe and ready to carry out their clear and specific duties.” Kenyan police officers are working closely with the Haitian National Police, conducting strategic mapping and joint patrols in Port-au-Prince.

The UN Security Council approved the deployment in October, but it was delayed after a Kenyan court ruled in January that it was unconstitutional and lacked a bilateral agreement. After the Kenyan government reached an agreement with Haiti in March, it faced a new lawsuit from the opposition Kenya Third Way Alliance, which sought to block the deployment.

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The United States, which has long sought a country to lead the operation, is providing funding and logistical support but has ruled out sending U.S. troops to Haiti. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the legality of the operation and Kenya’s human rights record, and has accused Kenyan police of excessive use of force and unlawful killings. The U.S. decision comes as Kenyan police are struggling to find a country to lead the operation.

Haiti has long been plagued by gang violence, which escalated in February with a coordinated attack in Port-au-Prince aimed at overthrowing then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The resulting violence has severely impacted food security and humanitarian aid, with criminal gangs taking control of large parts of the city and committing widespread crimes including murder, rape, robbery and kidnapping.