First Kenyan police deployment to Haiti is postponed, according to sources

Due to the postponement of a scheduled flight from Nairobi on Tuesday, the deployment of the first Kenyan police officers to lead a multinational anti-gang operation in Haiti has been delayed, two individuals briefed on the situation told Reuters.

The officers would arrive in Port-au-Prince by Thursday in time for Kenyan President William Ruto’s state visit to the White House, according to prior statements made by U.S. authorities.

Kenya offered to lead the mission in July of last year, but the government’s proposal has been sued by opponents, and there have been multiple delays in deployment because of a violent outburst in March that forced the prime minister of Haiti to resign.

Up to 2,500 people will be involved in the expedition, which aims to combat the gangs that dominate most of Port-au-Prince and are responsible for numerous deaths, kidnappings, and acts of sexual assault.

Kenya has committed one thousand police personnel to the mission, which is authorized by the United Nations and is primarily funded by the United States.

According to the two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive material, the two hundred Kenyan officers assigned to the operation were informed that they would be leaving Nairobi on Tuesday night.

The policemen were instructed to stay on standby and received no reason for the last-minute delay, according to one source, a former police officer in contact with mission members.

The other source claimed that Port-au-Prince did not have the necessary arrangements in place to accept the cops after being informed by a government official.

A request for response was not immediately answered by a government representative for Kenya.