Kenyan President William Ruto (L) and US President Joe Biden shake hands during a joint press conference at the White House in Washington DC, US on May 23, 2024. PHOTO | REUTERS
Kenya's President William Ruto on Thursday stepped up his defence of deploying 1,000 police officers to the troubled Haiti, swatting away criticism that Nairobi was doing the heavy lifting for Washington.
Instead, on a joint podium with US President Joe Biden, Ruto told the audience his country is a voluntary contributor to what humanity needs. The two leaders spoke at a joint press briefing in Washington after a bilateral meeting that formed part of Ruto’s state visit.
But Haiti was always going to arise. On both sides, journalists queried, Nairobi’s priorities, or whether Washington was pushing the can down the road. The event came as Haitian civil society groups also penned an open letter to Ruto, asking him to rescind the move.
Read: Contractors arrive in Haiti to build base for Kenyan-led forces
Kenya, Ruto said he believes the responsibility of peace and security is the responsibility of all nations “because we have been participating in peace making and peace keeping in 47 countries like what we are facing in Haiti.”
“Committing Kenya to Haiti is not so much about what happened in the past. We don’t find that the US is committing Kenya to Haiti. I am the president of Kenya and I decide. It is up to the people of Kenya to commit their troops through their own established (legal) structures,” Ruto said. He was adding a comment to Biden’s response to a query about Washinton staying away from directly sending troops to Haiti.
The US president had indicated they avoided sending boots there because it could raise “a lot of questions…. which will “be used by those who disagree with us.”
Haiti, the Carribean country has been troubled with coups and assassinations for decades. But the immediate problem is the rise of gangs and lawlessness. In October last year, the US which was the ‘pen holder’ on Haiti in the UN Security Council managed to push through a resolution that authorised the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS).
To be led by Kenya, it wouldn’t be a UN peacekeeping mission in the strictest sense of falling under UN funding, but the US pledged $300 million worth of equipment, capacity building and cash to help Kenyan troops and other volunteering countries step into Haiti.
Kenya’s initial 200 troops were expected this week, but the move was delayed until their relevant equipment was shipped to Haiti.
Read: Kenya's first police deployment to Haiti delayed
Kenya was also expected to submit a clear document on the operational procedures including how the troops will protect civilian rights and stay within the law.
Some Haitian groups have been raising their voices, however, asking Kenya to rethink the move.
A group identified asMovement Unforgettable Dessalines Jean Jacques(MUDJJ) argued on Thursday that their country’s problems should be solved internally.
The movement is named after Dessalines Jean Jacques who was the emperor of Haiti who proclaimed his country's independence in 1804. Jacques was born in West Africa and was taken to the Caribbean based country as a slave.
“As an esteemed African leader, we have always regarded you as a brother in our shared journey towards progress and unity. However, recent actions have given us reason to pause and reflect on this perception,” the open letter signed by Eliphete Joseph who is the leader read.
According to MUDJJ it was unfortunate that all the plans of leading a foreign military in Haiti were being handled by President Ruto as they said that it was only likely to cause more harm than good.
It said that Haiti is a proud country which has a rich history of resilience and bravery.
“Our forefathers, under the leadership of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines, fought valiantly to defeat Napoleon's army and secure our freedom, making Haiti the first black free nation,” the statement read.
“Henceforth, any foreign military presence on Haitian soil will be considered an act of aggression, making every Haitian life a direct responsibility of your government,” the statement revealed.
In Kenya, a legal challenge mounted by lawyer and Thirdway Alliance leader Ekuru Auko had frustrated initial steps after courts blocked the earlier programme, citing constitutional gaps.
Read: Kenyan lawyers move to block police deployment to Haiti
In Washington, Ruto argued the that legal gap has since been filled after both sides signed a bilateral agreement. But the lawyer has sustained the challenge in Court, citing illegalities.
Nonetheless, Ruto argued Haiti, in spite of being 10,000km away from Nairobi was just as a needy case as banditry in Kenya or a troubled neighbourhood in East Africa.
This state visit was supposed to also commemorate 60 years of diplomatic ties between Kenya and the US and Washington followed that by elevating relations, naming Kenya as the 19th country considered as a non-Nato ally.
As the only Sub-Saharan Africa with that title, Nairobi won’t have a defence pact with the US yet. But the labeling allows Kenya to enjoy some form of privilege in defence cooperation, including working relationships with the US defence agencies.
Ruto was expected to return to Nairobi on Friday.
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