Change of Plan: 2,000 Haiti Police to Land in Kenya for Training
Kenya has revised its strategy for sending police officers to Haiti by also committing to train Haitian security personnel.
Kenya’s initial plan to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti is still in place, but on Sunday, May 26, it was decided that Kenya will additionally train 2,000 Haitian police officers.
The training for these Haitian officers will occur in Kenya before they return to Haiti to address gang control, which currently extends to 80 percent of the island.
This arrangement was revealed during a meeting between senior Kenyan security officers and the Haitian Transitional Presidential Council.
The 2,000 Haitian officers will undergo an intensive law enforcement and combat training program.
Although the exact arrival date of the Haitian officers in Kenya has not been specified, the training will last two weeks, and the officers are expected to return to Haiti by mid-June 2024.
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This timing coincides with Kenya’s planned deployment of an initial team of 200 police officers to Haiti.
The deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti has faced multiple delays, most recently due to logistical issues, shifting the initial date from May 23.
President William Ruto’s administration has also faced numerous legal challenges over the past year regarding the legitimacy of the deployment.
Additionally, the United States Congress initially blocked the release of Ksh8 billion needed for the mission, but President Joe Biden expedited the funding through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).
Kenya will participate in a multinational force tasked with combating gangs in Haiti and ensuring free and fair elections.
Other countries expressing willingness to join this effort include Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria, and Mauritius.
Change of Plan: 2,000 Haiti Police to Land in Kenya for Training