Kindiki reveals cost of Kenyan police deployment to Haiti

By Peter Ochieng

Kenya is expected to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti from January, 2024 in a year-long United Nations (UN) backed peace mission.

The deployment, according to Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Government Administration will cost over Sh36 billion.

Addressing legislatures on Thursday during a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate Committees on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, Kindiki said the money will cater for training, administrative support, weapons, ammunition, anti-riot equipment, transport, technical equipment and general equipment.

He told MPs and Senators that the money will not be obtained from Kenyan taxpayers, noting that the funds will be mobilised from UN members States.

"The resources for this mission will be mobilised among the member states of the United Nations. They have already identified the way the funds will be mobilised and made available for us,” said the CS.

He insisted that Kenyan police will only leave the country for the Haiti mission, after being assured of the availability of the money.

“Unless all resources are mobilised and availed, our troops will not leave the country. They will not leave Kenyan soil until the equipment required on the ground in Haiti is in place."

“Much of the country is fairly safe. The unsafe parts are pockets of mainly urban areas, safety issues are different in the urban areas, other places are reasonably safe,” he said when questioned over the tough security situation awaiting Kenyan troops in the Caribbean nation.

"Kenya shall provide the overall mission command and leadership of the Multi-National Security Support in Haiti. Deployed officers will perform, among other tasks, support the Haitian National Police (HNP) on joint operational planning, capacity building, conduct joint security operations, provision of security for critical infrastructure sites, and transit locations including airports and ports, provision of unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for population receiving assistance, maintenance of law, order and public safety in full compliance with the International Law," added the CS.

Kindiki was in the company of among others, Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome. The IG said they have already identified officers that will form the team to Haiti.

“The officers were taken through medical examinations and other suitability tests. It was very fair. We are not going to Haiti to fail,” Koome said.

Weeks ago, the United Nations Security Council approved the deployment of a multinational security support mission aimed at fighting violent gangs accused of running Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

Other countries such as Jamaica and Bahamas have pledged to offer officers for the mission.