Kenya lawyers call to hold gov. in contempt over Haiti deployment plan
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The lawyers and their Thirdway Alliance Kenya party initially contested the deployment of police officers to Haiti in the High Court in October.
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Members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), one holding a national flag, line up to board transport aircraft as they deploy to Goma in eastern Congo as part of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF), at a military airport in Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (AP)
Kenyan lawyers and their opposition party have petitioned a court to hold the government in contempt over its plans to deploy police to Haiti, according to court documents.
In response to Haiti's request for assistance, Kenya proposed in July 2023 to deploy 1,000 officers in the Caribbean country to address the escalating security crisis that has displaced approximately 200,000 people due to gang violence.
The situation in Haiti plummeted starting in late February as powerful and well-armed gangs that control most of the capital Port-au-Prince and much of the country went on a rampage they said was aimed at toppling Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Lawyers Ekuru Aukot, Miruru Waweru, and their Thirdway Alliance Kenya party initially contested the deployment in the High Court in October.
In January, President William Ruto announced Kenya's intention to proceed with the deployment, despite a court ruling that officers could only be deployed abroad if a "reciprocal arrangement" existed with the host government.
"The applicants are reliably informed that the impugned deployment may be done any time from now," the plaintiffs argued in Thursday's application, emphasizing urgency due to a May 23 deadline.
In March, the Kenyan government announced it was pausing the deployment of officers following Henry's resignation.
Ruto had told the United States that his country is still prepared to lead a multinational force to be deployed to Haiti once the Carribean country establishes a presidential council.
In late April, a transitional ruling council of nine members in Haiti was sworn in to lead the country until fresh polls, with an elected government to take over by February 6, 2026. The council later chose politician Edgard Leblanc Fils as its head.
