Kenya`s Police Bold Peacekeeping Move in Haiti Amidst Internal Attacks at Homecountry

President Ruto recently signed a deployment agreement of 1,000 Kenyan police with the Haitian Prime minister in efforts to help maintain law and order in Haiti.  The first deployment was done on Wednesday the 26th of June 2024 with the request made by the previous Haiti`s government back in 2022.

The second deployment of 200 more policemen was done on the 16th of July 2024.  But even as uniformed Kenyan police disembarked from a Kenya Airways plane with weapons in hand in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, police back in Nairobi opened fire on anti-tax hike demonstrators trying to storm the parliament, with at least five protesters killed and dozens wounded. 

This was after the Finance bill 2024 passed the second reading even after Kenyans expressed their detest on it.

But why would one help their neighbour put off fire in their houses, if your own home is on fire?  The Gen - Z protest have taken a crucial role in shaping the trajectory of the Kenyan government in terms of it`s leadership.  Kenya`s budget itself it`s among the highest in the world with it`s effect on the country`s development being one of the least. 

The police themselves are among the least paid while Kenya still struggles with bandit attacks over and over again.  Why then have a budget in the first place?  With millions of youths in the country being unemployed, what`s the future of Kenya?

This was the power behind the call from the Gen Z`s, let`s occupy!  In a country where the rich continue getting rich while the poor become poorer, a redeemer is urgently needed.  Kenya needs one.  Statistics show that Kenya`s GDP has dropped from 108.92 billion Dollars in 2023 to 104 billion dollars in 2024 marking tough times for Kenyans in the country. 

The Budget and Appropriations Committee approved expenditure of KES 3.914 trillion for the 2024 financial year which is a lot of money for a developing country.  The State Department for Internal Security and National Administration had been allocated Kes 36.15 billion for its 2024/2025 operations. 

Yet, the operational conditions of police officers are really wanting with some police officers facing mental disorders but cannot afford therapist.  Bandits attacks are still a menace in Kenya with the recent being in Loruk, Baringo county that left a KDF soldier injured with thousands of livestock being raided a month ago.

Is Kenya worth aiding military support to other nations?  What about our own struggles with security issues?  At least 74 people have been killed in separate attacks by bandits in the North Rift area in the past months while 200 families being displaced from their ancestral land. 

The aftermath of every attack is evident to every Kenyan and the office of the CS for Interior Security is not isolated.  The government have however setup some measures to stop these attacks but it can always do better.  Rather than sending policemen to Haiti, why not flood them in Baringo?

The government should focus on helping it`s own people and making sure that everyone is safe from attacks.  The CS for interior security, Prof. Kindiki, should focus all his strength and resources allocated in his ministry on the security needs of Kenyans who are struggling with hard economic times rather than extending help to other countries that other well - off nations can help.