Kenyan Opposition Leader Ekuru Aukot Challenges Controversial Police Deployment to Haiti

Kenyan opposition leader Ekuru Aukot plans to launch a new court challenge against a plan to send police officers to Haiti.

Kenya agreed to lead a UN-authorised international police force to help combat gang violence in Haiti last October. The Kenyan high court blocked the deployment in January, ruling it unconstitutional due to a lack of reciprocal agreements.

However, Kenya’s president William Ruto and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry signed a deal to fast-track the departure of Kenyan police to Haiti. Kenya’s opposition leader, Ekuru Aukot, believes the agreement is invalid and fails to address objections made by the judge in January.

Concerns have been raised in Kenya about the wisdom of sending police officers to fight heavily-armed gangsters, as the country faces security challenges.