The National Assembly has approved the deployment of Kenyan police officer to Haiti, to help restore peace in the troubled Caribbean country.
National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security and the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence & Foreign Relations jointly agreed to have Kenyan soldiers deployed in Haiti.
On Thursday, members of the National Assembly voted to adopt the the joint committee’s report, after a heated debate.
The opposition rejected the move, “saying it violated the country’s constitution.” while Kenya Kwanza legislators said Kenya had a moral obligation and duty to aid Haiti.
“The Committees having reviewed Kenya’s obligations to the UN, its existing legal framework, submissions through public participation and submissions by stakeholders recommends that Parliament approves the proposed deployment of the National Police Service to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission for Haiti under the provisions of the Constitution,” part of the committee’s report read.
The 1,000 soldiers will however wait before being deployed, following a case that was filed by Third way Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot.
Aukot moved to court to block the deployment, saying “it was a mistake and suicide mission.”
Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica and Belize are among the countries that have pledged to participate in the Haiti peace mission by deploying their troops.
While appearing before the joint committee, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said ‘the deployment of Kenya’s 1000 troops will cost $241,390,961 which will be will be obtained from UN member states.;
“Unless all resources are mobilised and availed, our troops will not leave the country. They will not leave Kenyan soil until the equipment required on the ground in Haiti is in place,” he said.
