NAIROBI, Kenya
Kenyan President William Ruto on Monday flagged off the first group of 400 police officers, marking their deployment to Haiti to combat gang violence.
The ceremony in the capital
Nairobi saw President Ruto hand over the Kenyan flag to the officers who will
participate in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
This mission was authorized by the United Nations Security Council on
October 2, 2023, under Resolution 2699.
The deployment has faced
several delays and legal challenges, including being declared illegal by the
Kenyan High Court at one point.
Despite these obstacles, the
group is set to leave for Haiti on Tuesday.
Kenyan Inspector General of
Police Japhet Koome has appointed Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police
Godfrey Otunge as the new commander for the more than 2,500 police officers
involved in the Haiti operation.
An advance team has already
departed for Haiti ahead of the main group's arrival.
Last week, Kenya reached an
agreement with the Haitian government on rules of engagement for the security
personnel, who may face fierce opposition from the well-armed gangs that have
taken control of Haiti's capital and overwhelmed local police.
More than 1,000 Kenyan police
officers will join other international teams in Haiti to address the gang
violence.
In addition to Kenya,
countries such as Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria,
and Mauritius will also send officers to Haiti.
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