CS Kindiki shares updates on $600M Haiti Mission as PM Ariel Henry resigns

Addressing the media on Monday, CS Kindiki emphasized that the deployment process is progressing smoothly, with all necessary arrangements already in place.

“We are now in the pre-deployment stage. All the other programs are in place including the status of forces agreement and the laws on detention, arrests, and other enforcement measures are now in place. The standard operation procedures are in place," CS Kindiki said.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki with security officers in Samburu County Interior CS Kithure Kindiki with security officers in Samburu County Pulse Live Kenya

The Cabinet Secretary also poured water on reports that some officers had withdrawn from being deployed over escalating chaos.

“Kenya is the lead nation, but there are so many other countries that have pledged to contribute troops, and this came from the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, so it's part of our international obligations.

“The court matter has been addressed, and that other rumour you are talking about, I think tell the source of that rumour to return it wherever it came from," he added.

In recent days, European Union countries and the United States of America evacuated their diplomats by helicopter under cover of darkness.

On Tuesday, Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned after rebels took over the capital, making it difficult for the PM to enter the country.

On Saturday, the U.S. reiterated its commitment to supporting the international intervention in Haiti.

In a conversation with President William Ruto on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken thanked Kenya’s move to lead the security team tasked with creating the security conditions necessary to conduct free and fair elections.

Cost of Kenya's mission to Haiti

In November 2023 CS Kindiki revealed that the overall budget for sending troops to Haiti would be $600 million (Sh90 billion).

He said that this budget would be enough for only one year, pending a review of the outcome of the operation by the United Nations.

“That involves money for preparing the forces, kitting them, them transporting them, sustaining them their logistics, communications, food, allowances and all that goes with that and also bringing them back home at the end of the mission,” CS Kindiki said.

He clarified that the 1,000 officers will be ferried to Haiti in batches and every phase will have proper pre-deployment planning.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and IG Japhet Koome in Parliament before the National Assembly and Senate Committees on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relation on November 9, 2023 Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and IG Japhet Koome in Parliament before the National Assembly and Senate Committees on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relation on November 9, 2023 Pulse Live Kenya

He said that the resources for the mission will be mobilised from among the member states of the United Nations.

“Unless all the resources are mobilised and availed our troops will not leave the country,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

As the ministry waits for the resources and Parliamentary approval, the National Police Services is in the process of identifying and doing the necessary procedures in preparing officers for the mission.

The CS said that Kenya expects to be reimbursed for the costs that are already being incurred in preparing the troops, which is about Sh241 million.

Kindiki assured the committee that the deployment would not compromise domestic security.

“We have made arrangements to ensure that we do not disrupt any of the ongoing programs, especially with regard to sensitive security operations around complex criminal activities in our country and therefore our assurance is that we have taken great detail to make sure that we do not affect our internal security operations through these deployments and the inspector General of police and service commanders have assured the National Security Council that everything will go on as planned,” he said.

Police IG Japhet Koome said that the Haiti operation will be led by high-ranking police officers.

The operation shall have a headquarter team and formed up units.

Headquarters team

The headquarter team shall assume overall command of the mission and will be headed by an officer not below the rank of inspector general and assistant inspector general.

The chief of personnel, chief of staff and chief of logistics for the mission shall be officers in the rank of commissioner of police.

The headquarter team will also have an intelligence wing, investigators and other support and technical teams.

Formed up units

The formed up police units will have five leaders in the rank of superintendent of police, as well as five commanders from a similar rank.

There will also be support service officers, intelligence officers, operations officers, liaison officers, duty officers from the rank of assistant superintendent of police.

The mission will have five platoon commanders, 25 chief inspectors and their deputies, 25 platoon sergeants and senior sergeants, 135 section commanders, and 655 constables.

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