The United States says it supports the ongoing international efforts to deploy a Multinational Security Support mission for Haiti, despite last week’s High Court ruling that declared the deployment illegal.
US Department of State spokesperson Mathew Miller in a statement yesterday said their commitment to the Haitian people remains unwavering, and urged the international community to urgently provide support for the mission.
“We reaffirm our support of ongoing international efforts to deploy a Multinational Security Support mission for Haiti, as requested by Haiti and authorised by UN Security Council Resolution 2699,” Miller said.
He added: “The United States acknowledges the ruling by the Republic of Kenya’s High Court regarding the deployment of Kenyan police in support of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti and the Government of Kenya’s stated intent to challenge this ruling.”
The statement added that it is urgent that the international community responds to the unprecedented levels of gang violence and destabilising forces preying upon the Haitian people.
“At the same time, we call for the restoration of democratic order through an inclusive political process in Haiti. We continue to urge Haitian stakeholders to reach consensus on power-sharing and inclusive governance.”
“The only legitimate path to long-term peace and stability is through free and fair elections,” added the statement.
President William Ruto’s plan to deploy police to Haiti for a peacekeeping mission suffered a blow on Friday after the High Court blocked the deployment.
Justice Chacha Mwita said the National Security Council, which includes the President, does not have the power to deploy regular police outside the country.
Justice Mwita noted that the National Security Council and National Police Service do not have powers to deploy police outside the country.
Mwita made the ruling following an application by Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot who wanted the court to block the deployment, stating that it was illegal.
“To be clear, Article 240 does not mandate the Council to deploy police officers outside Kenya. Deployment should be as provided for in part 14 of the Act and only to a reciprocating country,” he ruled.
“It is not contested that there is no reciprocal arrangement between Kenya and Haiti and for that reason, there can be no deployment of police to that country.”
Judge acknowledged that Kenya’s offer to help mitigate a humanitarian crisis in Haiti was noble, however, he maintained that such deployment needed to be undertaken in accordance with the Constitution.
Brief rest
There are plans to appeal the ruling.
Aukot filed his petition in court after Parliament approved the deployment of 1,000 officers to the Carribean nation.
A team of Kenyan police to be deployed to Haiti has completed their training.
Teams from the Rapid Deployment Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit and Border Patrol Unit completed their circulating training from various camps on January 4.
Officials said the team was told to take a brief rest ahead of a key ruling in court on the way forward on their planned deployment.
Plans were to hold a graduation event at GSU Recce squad headquarters in Ruiru to mark the start of the deployment.
Aukot sued President William Ruto and his administration in a bid to block the peacekeeping mission that will see the deployment of at least 1,000 police officers to the gang-ridden nation.
He argued that Kenya has not ratified any law or treaty to allow the deployment of police officers outside the country.
At stake is more than Sh30 billion the team will get from various stakeholders for deployment.
More than 1,000 officers will be picked from the Rapid Deployment Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit, and Border Patrol Unit to form a larger team for deployment.
