Another Blow For Ruto As High Court Bars Deployment of Police Officers to Haiti Illegal

By Samuel Ouma

A High Court in Kenya has ruled that the deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti is unconstitutional.

In a verdict issued on Friday, Justice Chacha Mwita said the planned deployment does not meet the requirements of the Kenyan Constitution.

"An order is hereby issued prohibiting the deployment of police officers to Haiti or any other country otherwise than any compliance with part 14 of National Police Service Act,” said Justice Mwita.

Justice Mwita mentioned that the National Security Council and National Police Service have no mandate to deploy Kenyan officers to the Caribbean nation.

"In that regard, any purported decision by the National Council or any other state officer to deploy police officers outside Kenya and any other action taken by any other state organ or state officer in furtherance of that decision is invalid, null and void," he added.

The Parliament of Kenya had approved the deployment of 1000 police officers to Haiti for a peace mission, promoting former Presidential Candidate Ekuru Aukot to file a petition to the court.

The United States and the United Nations Security Council had approved the bold move taken by Kenya to restore peace in a country plagued by gang violence, which has resulted in several deaths.

President William Ruto’s administration has vowed to appeal the ruling to a higher court.

“The government of Kenya takes note of the High court’s ruling regarding the deployment of the Kenya police to help in the Multi-national Security Support (MSS) mission for the restoration of law and order in Haiti,” said the government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura.

"While the government respects the rule of law, we have, however, made the decision to challenge the high court's verdict forthwith.”