Ensure security of Kenya team on UN’s Haiti mission
What you need to know:
- Quite commendable is the United Nations' authorisation of Kenya’s role to help restore law and order in Haiti.
- But there is also some trepidation over the potential danger that Kenyan police officers will face.
The stage is set for the deployment of a Kenyan peace mission to conflict-ravaged Haiti in South America. There are mixed reactions to this undertaking.
However, quite commendable is the United Nations' authorisation of Kenya’s role to help restore law and order in Haiti. But there is also some trepidation over the potential danger that Kenyan police officers will face.
President William Ruto has expressed confidence in what he described as a “historic” mission to restore governance and protect critical infrastructure, vowing: “We will succeed in Haiti. We must not fail the people of Haiti.”
But first things first. The National Assembly must authorise such a deployment. However, it is not the first time the country will be undertaking a UN peacekeeping mission.
Kenyans have been on that stage before, earning the country and its military accolades for entrenching global peace and prosperity. However, everything must be done to ensure the security of the Kenyan contingent.
As Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Abraham Korir Sing'oei has explained, the government must, of course, comply with its constitutional obligation to seek parliamentary approval now that the UN Security Council has given the mission the green light.
Suffer casualties
To set the ball rolling, the National Assembly’s Committee on National Administration and Internal Security has summoned both Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome to shed light on the deployment of police officers to Haiti.
The government will be formally seeking Parliament’s approval to send some 1,000 Kenyan police officers on the UN’s Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
However, leading this multinational force is a recognition of Kenya’s expertise and experience in peace-keeping missions in Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Earlier, Kenyans excelled in peacekeeping in West African Liberia and Sierra Leone, Namibia, Croatia and Lebanon.
This is a huge gamble, as should things not go according to plan and Kenyans suffer casualties on arrival in Port au Prince, the government risks a backlash.
But there is a need to exercise caution and properly plan for the deployment in January to ensure the security of Kenyans and others in the execution of the UN mission.
