- “The law simply talks about deployment of national forces outside Kenya."
- MPs are considering a report on the request regarding the deployment of officers of the NPS to the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti.
Image: FILE
National Assembly’s Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi has said Parliament would be breaking the law by approving the deployment of 1,000 police officers to Haiti.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Thursday, Wandayi argued that Parliament is only required to approve the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces outside the country.
“The law simply talks about the deployment of national forces outside Kenya. Article 241 of the Constitution talks of the Kenya Army, Kenya Airforce and Kenya Navy three arms of the KDF,” he stated, adding that the National Police Service is not included.
“We cannot afford to do what we are trying to do currently. We are circumventing the law. The Commander in Chief of the KDF is the President. The President is however the command."
Wandayi said Kenya is getting into 'misadventure' for reasons not known to the rest of Kenyans
"You cannot use Kenyans as guinea pigs at the alter of rent-seeking. We know for sure that the motivation is money. People want to use our hopeless officers as guinea pigs,' he said.
"If you are sure that Kenyan officers will be safe, first take your child or brother or go yourself. "
Wandayi who was now becoming emotional asked who had made the requisition for Kenya to send its officers to Haiti.
"Which government made a requisition for officers to go Haiti? We want to know. Is it Haiti or the US?" He posed.
"Are Kenyans the only black people in this world? Are we the only black people? Us and the Haitians. What kind of nonsense is this."
He said that Kenya cannot be indulged to participate in an illegality.
"I reject this ill-advised motion, I reject it in totality. I want to appeal to my colleagues to reject this motion to save our grandchildren," he said.
But Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa disagreed with Wandayi saying that Kenya is not using its officers.
"Our officers took an oath to protect lives and being deployed. That officer guarding your family is a young man or lady who is protecting you.
"They are not being used as guinea pigs but they are patriotic Kenyans."
MPs are considering a report on the request regarding the deployment of officers of the National Police Service to the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
The report was tabled by a joint Committee of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security and the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations.
The National Assembly is expected to approve several Cabinet resolutions, among them the deployment of police to Haiti.
The United Nations Security Council on October 2, 2023, approved the deployment of a multinational security mission into Haiti, to help curb escalating gang violence in the Caribbean country.
Kenya has been picked to lead the yearlong security mission.
Nearly 200,000 Haitians have now lost their homes to gangs who pillage neighbourhoods operated by rivals in their quest to control more territory.
Many of the displaced are now sleeping outside or in makeshift settlements that are crowded and extremely unsanitary.
The UN's children's agency says nearly five million Haitians are going hungry, partly because of gang violence.
Kenya has demanded a funding vote of KSh36 billion ($237.55 million) to prepare its 1,000 troops for Haiti in an annual budgetary estimate.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki told parliament last week that the amount will go towards preparations of the troops and the buying of equipment.