**Kenya’s High Court Extends Orders Blocking Police Deployment to Haiti**
NAIROBI, Kenya — The high court in Kenya has extended orders blocking the deployment of police officers to Haiti amid a parliamentary approval for the government to send 1,000 officers to the Caribbean nation to aid in dealing with gang violence.
High Court Judge Chacha Mwita announced on Thursday that he will issue a ruling on January 26, which effectively delays the sending of security officers to Haiti. This decision comes after the court initially blocked the planned deployment in October.
Despite the parliament’s passage of a motion to allow the deployment, the government is facing criticism for disregarding the court orders. Ekuru Aukot, the former presidential candidate, described the government’s actions as “belligerent” and a “disregard to the rule of law.”
Herman Manyora, a professor of journalism at the University of Nairobi, emphasized the importance of respecting the court’s decision and upholding the laws of the country.
Moreover, the heated debate in parliament saw opposition legislators rejecting the government’s plans to lead the multinational policing team in Haiti, arguing that it violated the country’s constitution. On the other hand, supporters of the motion stated that Kenya had a moral obligation to aid Haiti.
Amid the debate, concerns were raised about the funding and justification for sending security forces to Haiti, which is thousands of miles away from Kenya. Opposition lawmaker Rozzah Buya questioned the sense in deploying police officers to Haiti when there is a need for protection and service in Kenya.
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki assured parliament that Kenya would only deploy the officers to Haiti if funding and equipment were provided by U.N. member states. Several other countries, including Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica, and Belize, have also pledged troops for the multinational mission in Haiti.
The violence in Haiti has continued to escalate as heavily armed gangs carried out an attack on a hospital in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, trapping patients, including 40 children and newborns. The situation in Haiti has worsened since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, with increasing incidents of kidnappings and killings.
The decision by the Kenyan high court to extend the orders blocking the deployment of police officers to Haiti sets the stage for a potential battle over the government’s push to send troops to the Caribbean nation. The outcome of the court’s ruling in January will determine whether the deployment will proceed, amid growing concerns both domestically and internationally.