The request by United Nations Security Council for deployment of Police officers to Haiti will be subject to Parliamentary approval.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said Article 240 of the Constitution requires Parliament to approve deployment of security forces to any peacekeeping mission in foreign nations.
“There will be no shortcuts or violation of the Constitution in deployment of our police officers to Haiti,” he said.
He added Kenya has previously contributed troops to peacekeeping missions in Namibia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Somalia and Congo.
“Deployment of our security officers to Haiti will not in any compromise or undermine our commitment and responsibility to safety and security of our citizens.”
There has been debate on how the deployment will be done.
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 with the exercise expected to happen in two month’s time probably by January 2024.
These officers have paramilitary training and are likely to work well with other personnel from countries that have agreed to send theirs to Haiti for the same mission.
The personnel from the formed units have skills that can address the needs in Haiti, officials say.
They will be provided with a kit to use while in Haiti. They can use the uniforms they use in Kenya as they are not under UN formally.
RDU, ASTU and BPU are from APS while the GSU will also provide personnel from most likely the RECCE unit.
Kenya will take the command and operations of the about 3,000 personnel.
Unlike a UN peacekeeping mission, where the blue-helmeted forces are under the control of the U.N. Department of Peace Operations, the multinational force in Haiti will be overseen by Kenya, although its forces are there with U.N. authorization, which gives the intervention the backing of international law.
Already there is lobbying within the services for those who want to join the mission.
The selected team will converge at a camp for a brief joint training before they depart for the mission.
At stake, is almost Sh29 billion that has been pledged by the US government to enable the mission to be successful.
The Biden administration has pledged $100 million (Sh14.5 billion) to the mission and another $100 million (Sh14.5 billion from the Defense Department in the form of intelligence, airlifts, communications and medical assistance.
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