Kenya Awaits Parliament Approval to Deploy Police to Haiti

Kenya Haiti Troubled Police

Kenya's Cabinet on Friday approved the deployment of 1,000 police to lead a multinational peacekeeping mission to Haiti to combat gang violence.

The country's parliament must now sign off on the resolution, as requested by interior minister Kithure Kindiki who addressed the national assembly committee Thursday, and asked for parliament approval before any troops are sent.

Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, who accompanied the minister, confirmed that training had started for the first group of officers to be sent to Haiti.

The Kenya-led peacekeeping force was approved by a United Nations Security Council resolution on Oct. 2. The mission would be funded by voluntary contributions, with the U.S. pledging up to $200 million.

The deployment has been controversial in Kenya, with opposition leader Raila Odinga last week criticizing the country's involvement saying Kenya had its own security challenges.

Kenya has yet to confirm a deployment date for the 1,000 officers it planned to send to Haiti. President William Ruto said on Oct .3 that the Kenya-led force would “not fail the people of Haiti.”

From Jan. 1 until Aug. 15, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and another 902 injured, according to the most recent U.N. statistics.