MP Koech: We are not taking traffic police to Haiti

By Peter Ochieng

The chairman of the national assembly departmental committee on defense, intelligence and foreign affairs Nelson Koech has no doubt that Kenyan police officers can manage a successful operation in Haiti.

Kenya is waiting for the United Nations (UN) Security Council to vote on a resolution that will see a non-UN multinational force led by Kenya deployed to tackle gangs in the Caribbean nation.

Additionally, the UN council is expected to develop the framework, and authorise a one-year deployment of an international force, with a review after nine months.

Some politicians and ordinary Kenyans are against the idea, stating that the 1,000 police officers expected to be deployed in Haiti will face challenges that may lead to injuries, and in the worse case scenario - death.

Koech, the Belgut MP however maintains that Kenya has some of the best trained police officers, to run a successful operation in the violence and war-torn Haiti.

Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Monday morning, the legislature said Kenya is not taking traffic police officers to Haiti.

"I know Kenyans have made a joke out of this and many think the police who are going there are traffic policemen. Kenya has special armed forces. There is absolutely no problem whatsoever we must put our country in the global arena at least for the good things. I totally support it," said Koech.

He was elected on the ruling UDA party ticket. "Our officers have encountered gangs before they are properly trained for that," he added.

On the other hand, Dagoretti MP Beatrice Elachi appearing on the same show opposed the move. She was elected on the opposition ODM party.

"Haiti is a country that has been run by gangs, that is where we should ask ourselves have we trained our officers to understand how to manage gangs? They are terrorists who are willing to do anything to survive."

"We will lose our police officers. These gangs will terrorize them because when you watch any stories in Haiti they are ready to die and our officers are coming from a democratic country and taking them to where there is no order."

Besides tackling gangs, Kenyan police will also train their Haiti counterparts during the mission.