RUTO’s police may never achieve much in Haiti as UN drops a bombshell following the delays – Look!

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 – As the world eagerly awaits the deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti in the next three weeks, it has emerged that the mission's tenure could be extended until 2026.

This is after it emerged that the Kenya-led mission might not achieve as much as earlier anticipated due to numerous delays in the deployment.

In an exclusive interview, the United Nations Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti, Ambassador William O'Neill, highlighted the complexities and potential duration of the mission. Initially authorized for 12 months starting in October 2023, the peacekeeping initiative has faced considerable delays, pushing its effective deployment to mid-2024.

"I mean, the problem now is the mission was supposed to be, it was authorized in October. It's now basically June and there's still nobody has set foot in Haiti. 

"So, I mean, that only leaves four months or so. So clearly, uh, 12 months wasn't enough," O'Neill remarked.

He emphasized the likelihood of extending the mandate, potentially through 2026, to ensure stability and support for Haiti's forthcoming elections in late 2025.

However, O’Neil explained that the deployment is more complicated, arguing that regaining the country will be one thing, but ensuring stability and dealing with decades-long challenges will be another challenge altogether.  

"The development issues we’re talking about are a decade or so. The security issue, I think, could be relatively quick, but you have to make sure you stabilize it. People need to stay around and make sure,” he asserted.

President William Ruto confirmed the imminent deployment in an interview with the BBC, noting that a planning team was already in Haiti, coordinating with local police to finalize arrangements.

The Kenyan DAILY POST