Kenyan Court Halts Deployment of Police Officers to Haiti

The Kenyan High Court has halted the government's plan to send police officers to Haiti to combat gangs. According to the judge, the deployment would be illegal because the National Security Council does not have the authority to send police officers outside of Kenya. The council is only authorized to deploy armed forces for peacekeeping purposes like in Haiti. Last year, Kenya volunteered to lead a multinational security force to address the issue of gang violence in Haiti, following a request made by Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry to the UN. The UN Security Council approved Kenya's offer, and the deployment was later approved by Kenyan lawmakers. However, opposition leader Ekuru Aukot who brought the case argued that Kenya cannot spare officers for foreign missions while neglecting its own security challenges. Aukot accused President William Ruto of using the deployment to boost his international image and win favor with western countries. Ruto, on the other hand, highlighted Kenya's track record of participating in peace support missions globally, emphasizing that the deployment would enhance officers' skills and experience in providing security. Prior to the court ruling, officers had already undergone two months of intense training, covering various topics such as weapon handling, international laws, and Haiti's topography. More details on this story will be published shortly.