• A number of leaders have questioned the rationale behind Kenya's Haiti mission in the face of the sorry state of affairs on home soil.
• Kenyans in some parts of Lamu and far-flung counties of Wajir and Mandera are also living in constant fear of al Shabaab attack.
Image: FILE
Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot has criticised President William Ruto for putting the interest of a foreign state before the country regarding the Haiti mission.
In a statement on Thursday, the former presidential hopeful said the government is lining up a security force for deployment to gang-ravaged Haiti yet Kenya is facing incidences on insecurity.
"Our brothers and sisters in Sondu are being killed. Yet our President, for whatever the wisdom is, wants to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti," Aukot said in a statement.
Kenya has pledged to send the troops under the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti latest January 1.
The deployment was Monday night approved by the UN Security Council.
The Kenyan police will be mandated to guard government buildings and infrastructure, train the Haiti police force and battle hundreds of violent criminal gangs that reign supreme in large swathes of the Caribbean country.
But back home, Kenyans in some parts of Lamu and far-flung counties of Wajir and Mandera are living in constant fear of al Shabaab attack while residents living along the Kisumu-Kericho border in Sondu are waging a bloody clash over the administrative right of the town.
At least seven people have died in the area following renewed clashes in a span of 24 hours even as security personnel from either side of the border keep vigil.
A number of leaders have questioned the rationale behind Kenya's Haiti mission in the face of the sorry state of affairs on home soil.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition on Thursday released a statement and castigated the government for ignoring the plight of its people and prioritising a foreign military mission.
The Raila Odinga-led faction raised concern about the spate of attacks that have now become commonplace in Mandera and parts of northern Kenya as well as the fragile security situation in North Rift Counties of Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and Laikipia.
"In these places, armed groups, bandits and cattle rustlers continue to conduct raids on neighbouring communities, destroy property and cause massive displacement of people," Azimio said in a statement read by former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa.
"These attacks are unacceptable and must come to an end. They paint a picture of a nation that is losing the battle to gangs and terrorists."
Raila called the government to action saying it was asleep as the country burns.