Ruto holds meeting with Haiti transition Council ahead of police deployment

By Catherine Muema On Jun 20, 2024

President Ruto in a teleconference with Haiti leaders. PHOTO/PCS

By Antynet Ford

Haitian police commanders finished their trip to Nairobi yesterday ahead of the anticipated deployment of a Kenyan police force to the Caribbean nation.

The team that left yesterday night expressed their satisfaction with Kenya’s preparations to lead the multinational security force to Haiti.
This came as President William Ruto met with the Haiti Transitional Presidential Council, which was chaired by Engineer Edgard Leblanc Fils.

President Ruto and his team led by the national security advisor Monica Juma and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Administration Police) who led the police squad that was deployed to Haiti were present during the meeting.
The president stated that Kenya firmly believes in the common global values of multilateralism as entrenched in the United Nations.

“We will safeguard shared principles of humanity that enable us to advance peace, security, and stability. We shall establish communication channels as part of the ongoing engagement in restoring peace to Haiti.” Ruto said.

The Haitian team held a series of meetings in Nairobi for the three days they were there.

The team on Tuesday met Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and his team and asked for help to stabilize their country.

“We are counting on your support.” The Haitian Police official Joachim Prohete said during his meeting.

The delegation and the IG held discussions regarding the upcoming Kenya police-led Multilateral Security Support Mission to Haiti.

IG Koome assured the Haitian Police, that NPS remains committed to collaboration in the mission, for the good of the people of Haiti, especially women and children.

“We are ready and committed to come over and assist whenever needed.” He said.

The Police team previously during the visit also met with commanders of the team to be deployed to Haiti.

They were also to be taken to barracks where Haitian police would be trained.

Officials said the Kenyan team will leave for Haiti before the end of June 2024.

Ruto said had said Kenya will honor its commitments to restore peace in the Caribbean nation.

He hinted that the arrangements that had been taking place in the country would be finalized in the coming weeks.

The preparations for the deployment are complete and teams have been moved to their respective camps ahead of the departure, officials said.

More than 1,000 police officers will join other teams in Haiti to fight gangs terrorizing locals.

Apart from Kenya, other countries that will send officers to Haiti are Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria, and Mauritius.

The Kenyan teams are from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), General Service Unit (GSU), and Border Patrol Unit (BPU).

This is a combat-trained team that officials say can handle the situation on the ground professionally.