Kenyan Lawyers Challenge Government's Plan to Send Police to Haiti, Seek Contempt Ruling

louis Buyisiwe

May 17, 2024

Responding to Haiti's appeal for assistance, Kenya offered in July 2023 to send 1,000 officers to help tackle a worsening security crisis in which gangs have forced about 200,000 people to flee their homes.
Lawyers Ekuru Aukot, Miruru Waweru and their Thirdway Alliance Kenya party first challenged the deployment in High Court in October.

"The applicants are reliably informed that the impugned deployment may be done any time from now," the plaintiffs stated in their application on Thursday, emphasizing that the urgency of the matter is underscored by a May 23 deadline for the next step in the deployment process. — Lawyers Ekuru Aukot contested the deployment in the High Court in October

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 a recent filing.

In response to Haiti's urgent appeal for assistance, Kenya offered in July 2023 to send 1,000 officers to address a deteriorating security crisis that has forced about 200,000 people to flee their homes due to gang violence.

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 sent 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 stated in their application on Thursday, emphasizing that the urgency of the matter is underscored by a May 23 deadline for the next step in the deployment process.

In March, the Kenyan government announced a pause on the deployment following the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.