NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1-Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has raised eyebrows on the adamant quest by the Executive to deploy police officers to Haiti despite a court order suspending the mission.
Sifuna claimed that President William Ruto inististance on to send police troops to Haiti to fight gangs and restore peace has an ulterior motive that points to ‘personal interest.’
The court ruled that Kenya’s National Security Council, which is led by the president, does not have the authority to deploy regular police outside the country and l can only deploy military.
“What is this thing that Ruto is going to gain from this Haiti deployment? Because it doesn’t make sense to ordinary Kenyans, courts who have termed it illegal,” he said during an interview on Citizen TV.
“Why is the President insisting? I can’t point it to any other reason other than pecuniary interest.”
President Ruto said on Tuesday the mission could go ahead “as soon as next week” if all the paperwork was done to satisfy the court’s demands.
Without mincing words, the Nairobi Senator said even though the deployment of 1000 officers is United Nation-backed plan the plans by the Kenyan government to lead the mission are not genuine.
“It will emerge in the fullness of time that the deployment was not done in the interest of Kenyans or in the interest of the people of Haiti. Its private pecuniary interest which will emerge later,” Sifuna said.
Last November, parliament ratified the deployment of 1,000 officers to lead a multinational force in Haiti, where gangs are attempting to expand their territorial control.
The court also said there must be a reciprocal agreement between the two countries before the deployment.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Chacha Mwita praised Kenya’s offer to deploy police to Haiti, but said it needed to be carried out within the law.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Italy-Africa summit in Rome, Mr Ruto on Tuesday told Reuters news agency that he expected a request would come soon that would satisfy the demands of the Kenyan court.
“The mission is on course. The mission is a bigger calling to humanity,” he added.
Asked if there were efforts for Haiti to get the necessary request, Mr Ruto said: “Absolutely.”
“Haiti have actually written formally, not today, several months ago,” he added.
The government said it would appeal against the court ruling.
The US said last week that it supports the government’s intention to challenge the ruling.
But the opposition on Tuesday warned the US against meddling in Kenya’s internal affairs.
It is unclear when the government would launch the appeal in court and whether other countries who pledged to send smaller forces to boost the multinational mission would consider going it alone.
Among those who planned to send forces were the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, with the US pledging $200m (£158m) to support the deployment.
