The cost of deployment will be borne by United Nations member states.
The Kenya Kwanza government now says Kenyans troops will not be deployed for the Haiti mission unless all conditions are met.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure on Thursday said that all conditions such as finances should be made available before the mission.
« Kenya will not allow its troops to exit the Country for Haiti until all the required resources, including equipment and finances, are mobilised and availed, » he said.
The CS was speaking before the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.
Kindiki also made it clear that no taxpayers’ money will be spent to deploy the 1,000 National Police Service Officers as part of the Multi-National Security Support in Haiti.
United Nations member states will bear the cost of deployment through voluntary contributions.
The CS emphasized that the deployment of National Police Service Officers to Haiti will neither compromise nor undermine the capacity and capability of the service to fulfil its mandate to secure citizens and their property.
Revealing details of the mission, Kindiki noted that Kenya shall provide the overall mission command and leadership of the Multi-National Security Support in Haiti.
« Deployed officers will perform, among other tasks, support the Haitian National Police (HNP) on joint operational planning, capacity building, conduct joint security operations and provision of security for critical infrastructure sites, » he said.
« Other roles include transit locations such as airports and ports, provision of unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for population receiving assistance, maintenance of law, order and public safety in full compliance with the International Law, » he said.
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said there will be three types of officers being deployed.
In the headquarters team, Kenya will deploy the Overall commander of the mission, an officer not below the assistant commander of police and Chief of personnel.
Others are the chief of operations, the chief of staff, and the Chief of logistics.
The remaining 96 personnel form part of the headquarters team (Statcom, intelligence, investigations and other technical agencies)
Under the Formed-up police units, Kenya will deploy five superintendent officers and five deputy-formed police commanders.
Others are; Support service officers, Police Intelligence Officers, Operations officers, Duty officers and Liaison officers all totalling 25.
For Platoon commanders; Kenya will deploy five platoon commanders with 25 chief Inspectors.
Others are; Deputy Platoon commanders that have 25 Inspectors, Platoon sergeants, 25 Senior sergeants, 135 Corporals and 655 Constables.
« This should total 1000 police officers to be deployed for the mission, » koome said.
Last month, the Cabinet approved the deployment of 1,000 police officers to Haiti, jumping one more legal hurdle in the circuitous approvals needed to have the move get legal backing.
A dispatch from the State House in Nairobi said the country’s council of ministers had approved the deployment which will now head to parliament for the needed ratification.
Kenya has offered to lead a Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti.
The decision by the government to send the troops has been seen as controversial and a lawyer has already gone to court seeking to stop the deployment altogether.
The High Court had earlier suspended plans for deployment, temporarily, after the lawyer argued there had been no Cabinet decision on it and that Parliament was being bypassed.
A dozen senior police officers toured Toussaint Louverture International Airport and neighbouring sites in Port-au-Prince Haiti, in August for an assessment study.
The team that was led by Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Noor Gabow also held meetings in New York, US, and met with officials from the Haitian government to understand the demands of the local population.
The US is partly funding the MSS to the tune of $200 million if Congress approves.
We won’t deploy troops to Haiti unless conditions are met – Kindiki (the-star.co.ke)
