Kenya High Court Blocks Police Deployment to Haiti: Judge Rules National Security Council Lacks Authority for Foreign Deployment

Kenya High Court Blocks Police Deployment to Haiti In a landmark ruling, Kenya's High Court has declared the proposed deployment of police officers to Haiti as illegal. The decision came after a petition was filed by concerned citizens, citing the National Security Council's lack of legal authority to send police outside the country.

Justice Chacha Mwita, who presided over the case, stated that the National Security Council and the National Police Service do not have the power to deploy police officers to other countries. The judge emphasized that any such decision would contravene the Constitution and the law, rendering it illegal, unconstitutional, and invalid.

The ruling has put a stop to the government's plans to deploy a contingent of police officers to Haiti, where they were expected to support a multinational security force aimed at quelling gang violence. The decision has sparked debate among legal experts, with some questioning the government's commitment to upholding the rule of law.

Critics of the proposed deployment argue that the government should focus on addressing internal security challenges before sending police officers abroad. On the other hand, proponents of the plan believe that Kenya has an obligation to support international peacekeeping efforts and that the deployment would have been a valuable opportunity for the country to contribute to global security.

The government has not yet issued a statement on the High Court's decision, but it is expected to abide by the ruling and explore alternative ways to support the multinational security force in Haiti.[BBC] [REUTERS]