KENYA DEPLOYS MORE TROOPS TO HAITI TO TACKLE GANG VIOLENCE

More than 200 Kenyan police officers have been sent to Haiti to assist an understaffed security mission.

President William Ruto has pledged to send 1,000 troops to Haiti in support of the United Nations. In June 2024, Kenyan Ruto sent 400 officers to Haiti, where he praised their integrity, professionalism, and expertise, saying that they could lead to lasting peace in Haiti. At least 700,000 Haitians have been displaced by gang violence in recent years, with many crowded into makeshift shelters after gunmen destroyed their homes.

The deployment of Kenyan forces has, however, been subject to legal and political challenges in Kenya, with critics questioning the government's decision to send police officers on an international security mission. There has been a call for increased oversight to ensure the safety and welfare of the officers stationed in Haiti.